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TAFSIR -UL- QURAN

(VOL. I )
Translation and Commentary of the

Holy Qur'an

MAULANA ABDUL MAJID DARYAB ADI

Published by

DARUL - ISHAAT

URDU BAZAR KARACHI- 1
PAKISTAN

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Publisher

DARUL - ISHAAT

URDU BAZAR KARACHI-1 PAKISTAN

Tel. 213768

First Edition : 1991

v J

1 . Permission for the publication of this Tafsir
has been obtained by the Government of
Sindh Pakistan.

2 . We have tried human best to make the Quranic
text, included in this Commentary free of all
errors, however to err is human. We shall be
grateful if readers may kindly inform us of any
omission or error if they come accross any, so
that we may correct it in the next print.

pum

IdaraT
Maktat
IdaraT
Idara e
Siddiqi

Printed
AYMA

UBUTORS:

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PREFACE

Of all great works the Holy Qur'an is perhaps the least translatable.
Arabic is not at all easy to translate into a language so widely and radically
differing from it in structure and genius as English, unless it be with the aid of
loose periphrasis and lax paraphrase. Even so the fire of the original is quenched,
its vivacious perspicuity is lost, and the so-called literal translation looks rugged and
dreary. That the language of the Arabs abounds in nuances and both the noun
and the verb arc extremely flexible, is a fact well known to every student of that
tongue.

The difficulty is increased hundredfold when one has to render into English,
with any degree of accuracy and precision, a work so rich in meaning, so pithy in
expression, so vigorous in style and so subtle in implications as the Holy Qur'an.
To reproduce even partially its exotic beauty, wonderful grandeur and magical
vivacity without sacrificing the requirements of the English idiom and usage, is the
despair of the translator and an ideal impossible of attainment. The result is that
every fresh attempt at translating the Holy Writ brings home, in varying degrees,
the truth of the old saying that nothing is so unlike an original as its copy.

The impediments confronting an honest translator may be summed up under
six main heads and various sub-headings :

1. In the first place comes the comparative poverty of the English language
in several respects. For instance :

(a) There is a large number of Arabic verbs untranslatable into English as
verbs, such as J^, f j^ , ^T\ , J^| f jj^j f ^ , ^ , ^1 etc., and one
has perforce to render each of these words not by a single word but by a combination
of words. Thus J^aj has to be translated as 'is niggardly,' j** as 'is truthful',
^ 5 jXmj as' 'is equal,' wJju*j as 'is extravagant,' A1**j as 'maketh vain' or rendcreth
void,' ^ as 'conferred a benefit,' ikj as 'is exorbitant/ and c^.ju.j as 'causes
death/

(b) There is no equivalent for the Arabic cJj^ (aorist) in English, or, for
that matter, in any other language known to the translator. The Arabic cjl^ is
both present and future tenses combined, whereas in other languages (including
English) a tense is either present or future. Thus thousands of Arabic verbs are to
be rendered in English only incompletely.

(c) In English grammar there are only two 'numbers,' singular and plural,
and there is no single word to convey the sense of the Arabic dual (^.jjlj) in nouns
as well as verbs, both in the second and the third persons.

(d) There is comparative dearth of LeliJl •»!..*.«-! (nomina agentis) in English

language, whereas they abound in Arabic. . ^jj^ , ^jJ-^m , dr tils , d ^ six^m ,

^ f yL{SU»* , g £j&.* , ^ jJtjU , gu&ft , ^ j&ajU , L ., yy~j and many similar words
have to be rendered as adjectives or participles, not as substantives.

(e) In Arabic, the feminine plural in the second and third person is always
distinguishable from the masculine. In English both genders are covered by 'you*
and 'they/

2. Next, repetition of synonyms, chiefly for the sake of emphasis, is of
frequent occurrence in Arabic; in fact, at times it is of considerable literary merit
and beauty. In the English language there is no sanction for it. Thus many such
expressions as ;.J| an) ^srj . U! (literally, 'Verily f We ! We! We ! quicken
the dead') or ut-4-J , .^ ^sssS Ul (literally, 'Verily, We ! surely We! We
quicken and cause death') or yi&)\ Wy *=a.» U! (literally, 'Verily, We! We!
We have revealed the Admonition') have to remain only partly translated.

3. Another serious difficulty is caused by the case with which ellipses occur
in the best and finest Arabic style and both words and phrases have to be supplied
by the reader to make the sense complete. At one time, it is only the subject that
is mentioned and the predicate is entirely suppressed, and at another, the reverse is
the case. The obvious duty of the translator on all such occasions is to supply the
omission, although his attempts in many cases must be hazardous.

4. Yet another perplexity is caused to the translator by the abrupt gramma-
tical transition, in one and the same sentence, frequent in Arabic :

(a) of person, as from the first and second person to the third, or vice versfl ;

(b) of number, from plural to singular, or vice versa.

5. A further complication is caused by what is known as ',{^ jLixM •'. e„ a
personal or relative pronoun having different antecedents in one and the same
sentence. The translator cannot afford to allow such ambiguities ; he has to make
his choice.

6. Finally, there is no real equivalence in the import of many of the Arabic
and English words generally held to be synonyms. The Arabic word : • for ins-
tance, has no equivalent in English, both 'adultery* and 'fornication' being of
much narrower import. Similary English has few words to express such closely
related ( L ^**Jt i_j)Ux>) Arabic terms as, 'iJ,sL , ts^A-ii. ,,JIa^I , *_-*»>* and

.. ,SJ (as in the phrase .tlJl *3.j). Nor is English perhaps rich enough to indi-
cate clearly the shades of meanings of such sets of words as )&{.$ , yjsS and yj-xiU ,
or ^fio and +\c±) , or .,1a** , lxo>. and .f.a. .

As to the genius of Arabic language it may not be amiss to recall a few
observations made by a distinguished Arabist, Alfred Guillaume : —

[ v ]

'Arabic is fitted to express relations with more conciseness than the Aryan
languages because of the extraordinary flexibility of the verb and noun. Thus the
ideas in break, shatter, try to break, cause to break, allow to be broken, break one
another, ask someone to break, pretend to break, are among many variations of the
fundamental verbal theme which can, or could, be expressed by vowel changes and
consonantal augments without the aid of the supplementary verbs and pronouns
which we have to employ in English. The noun, too, has an appropriate form for
many diverse things, such as the time and place of an action, bodily defects, diseases,
instruments, colours, trades, and so on. One example must suffice. Let us take
the root d-w-r, which, in its simplest form, means to turn or revolve (intransitive).

dawwara, to turn a thing round. dawara, to walk about with someone.

adara, to make go round, and so to control. hfad&m™ J t0 b ° r ° Und "* ShapG "

dawr, turning (noun). dawrah, one turning.

dawwar, pedlar or vagrant. duwar, vertigo.

dawran, circulation. dawwarah, mariner's compass.

madnr, axis. muddrah, round water-skin.

mudir, controller.

'None of these forms is fortuitous, but is predetermined by the structural
genius of the Arabic language.' (Arnold and Guillaume, Legacy of Islam, Preface,
pp. vi-vii).

To take another instance : —

'From the root KTB "write," we have KaTaBna, "we wrote," naKTubu,
"we will write," KaTiR, "writing, a writer," KiTaB, "a book," maKTaB, "a
place of writing, a school," muKTiB, "a teacher of writing," taKaTaBa, "they
two corresponded with one another," as-TaKTiB, "I will ask him to write,"
waKtaTaBa, "and he got his name written down in the register," KuTTaB,
"scriber," maKaTaBat, "correspondence," etc. (EBr. II. p. 192.)

Add to these inherent handicaps my own excessive incompetence — meagre
knowledge of English and only a passing acquaintance with Arabic— and the auda-
city of the enterprise becomes apparent. Further, it has been my lot to work almost
unaided and single-handed. The outcome of my seven years of labour of love is
before God and man, and certainly it is not for me to pass any judgment on my
own work. Had 1 been able to foresee at the commencement of the task the
amount of labour it would involve and the length of time it would necessitate, my
courage would surely have failed me, and I would not have undertaken the work
at all. If there is any merit discernible in the work it is absolutely due to the grace
and mercy of the Almighty and if there are faults (and undoubtedly they are many
and serious), they must be credited to my own incapacity. My constant endeavour
has been to give as literal and as faithful a rendering of the Holy Qur'an as is

[ vi ]

consistent with tolerable English. Accuracy, not literary embellishment, I have
aimed throughout. I have also attempted, in my own humble way, to follow closely
the style and phraseology of the Authorised Version of the English Bible, though
it would be nothing short of temerity to expect that that standard lias been even
appreciably achieved.

In regard to the arrangement of commentary, a word or two would suffice:

(i) Comments of lexical, grammatical, historical, geographical, and general

exegetical interest are given in the footnotes.
(ii) Where an elucidation seemed necessary in order to complete the sense,

it has been placed in parentheses, again in the footnotes. The reader is

requested kindly to treat such matter as if it formed an integral part of

the text and to read it along with it.
(iii) Ellipses have been supplied in the text itself and are distinguished by

italics.

A few characteristics of my translation and transliteration may here be briefly
noted. The word ^Jj in monotheistic context I always retain in translation as
Allah, and only render it by 'God' when the context is distinctly pagan or polythe-
istic. The words Jjwy and jUaJ I have invariably translated as 'Nazarene'
and 'Nazarenes,' not as 'Christian' and 'Christians.' The Holy Qur'an allows no
status to Christianity as such. To the religion of the Qur'an and the Prophet I
always refer as Islam, not as Muhammadanism. Contrary to the general European
practice I write Makka (not Mecca), Madlna (not Medina), Muhammad (not
Mohammed), Isma'll (not Ishmael) and Hajira (not Hagar) ; and in the Arabic
context I retain the correct Arabic forms of proper names such asjibrll, Mikall,
A-dam, Null, Ibrahim, Isra-Il, Lilt, Is-haq, Ya'qub, Yusuf, Musa, Harun, Fir'awn,
Qarun, Ayyub, Da-ud, Sulaiman, Taint, Jalut, Yunus, Ilyas, Zakarlyya. Yahya,
'Imran, Maryam and 'Isa., reserving their Biblical and European variants for the
English context.

Now remains the pleasant duty of acknowledging obligations and recording
thanks. To several of my precursors I am more or less indebted, but in particular
to Sale, Lane, Pickthall and Nawab 'Irnad-ul-Mulk BilgramI (whose unfinished
and unpublished translation, up to Part XVI, I had the good fortune to possess).
To Dr. Bell, the latest of the English translators, my debt is specially great. In
exegetical and explanatory notes I have found Maulana Ashraf 'All Thanavl's
Urdu Bayan-ul-Qiir'an (12 Vols.) of invaluable help, and I have also largely drawn
upon Wherry's Commentary and, in a lesser degree, upon 'Abdullah Yusuf 'All's.
Many other authors, both ancient and modern, besides those explicitly quoted in the
following pages, must, I fear, remain unacknowledged by name. In many cases,
they impressed themselves so indelibly on my memory that their very words became
part and parcel of my phraseology, but I could not in every instance remember

[ vii ]

whence they came. This is a general acknowledgment of any unconscious plagia-
risms that I may have committed. A list of the principal books cited and referred
to by me, given at the end of this work, may, however, to some extent, extenuate

my crime. ,

I have considerably profited by the suggestions of several of my esteemed
friends and scholars to whom Part I was submitted for detailed criticism. To
Dr. M. H. Syed and Dr. A. S. Siddlqi (both of Allahabad University) I owe not
a few improvements in language and transliteration respectively.

Daryabad, ABDUL MAJID

Bar a Bankl (India)
December, 194 J C.E.

//) the name of Allah, the Beneficicnt, the Merciful

INTRODUCTION

The Quranic i'jaz, variously interpreted as its inimitable ellipticism,
miraculous elegance, grandiose cadence and emotive and evocative force, is so
multilateral that Imam Suyut! has in the M'otrak al-Aqr'an fl I'jaz il-Qur'an,
enumerated 35 distinctive features of the Divine Scripture, all of which pertain to
its literary excellence alone. These, by no means, exhaust the marvellous super-
excellence of the Holy Qur'an : some have been discussed by other writers while
others are yet to be expounded, but these are so self-evident that not even the
most inveterate enemy of Islam can deny them. One of these is that the writers
like Noldake Theodor, Friedrick Schatty, Charles Francis Potter, Phillip K. Hitti
and several other orientalists, none of whom is known for his sympathetic
approach to Islam, had to acknowledge the fact that the Qur'an was "the most
widely read book in existence," 1 and the Prophet to whom it was revealed was
"the most successful of all the prophets." 2 They had willy-nilly to admit this
undeniable fact for they had noticed that the Christian missionary societies,
financed by affluent European and American countries, hsd succeeded in
rendering the Christian Bible into about seven hundred languages 3 and making
finely printed copies of it available to nearly all the urban centres or even in
every room of a high class hotel all over the world, yet the numbers who go
through them in ten years is just a fraction of those who recite the Qur'an every
day. 4

Another notable aspect of the i'jaz of Qur'an is that notwithstanding the
persistent campaign launched since the beginning of the thirteenth century
A. D. to present the Holy Qur'an as a product of human mind drawing the mate-
rial contained in it indiscriminately from the apocryphal books of Judaism and

1. Charles Francis Potter. The Faith Man Lives By, Kings Wood Surrey, 1955, p. 81 ; Phillip
H. Hitti, History of the Arabs, London, 1953, p. 426.

2. Lamertine: Histolre de la Turquie, Paris 1854, Vol. II, p. 277 : D. G. Hogarth, A History
of Arabia, Oxford, 1922, p. 52.

3. Prof. Muhammad Mubarak, 'Khasa'is al-Lughat al-'Arabiya, p. 6, cited from Bible Society
Publications, Beirut.

4. John Arnold, World Religions and Societies, Readers Digest, June 1961.

t * J

Christianity, hundreds of its translations, commentaries and glossaries have been
brought out, even in Europe. Nor the political and industrial ascendancy of the
West coupled with its intellectual and educational supremacy and control over
the world-wide mass media has been able to shake the faith of the Muslims in
the Holy Qur'an as the Word of God. This conviction has rather increased with
the passage of time than being eroded by these deliberate misrepresentations :
the denigrators of the Qur'an have, on the other hand, been forced to put them-
selves on their guard. Prof. R. B. Sergeant writes in his introduction to the
Dictionary and Glossary of the Quran by John Price that the readers of the
Qur'STn ought to understand the Book directly from it since the Arab and Muslim
countries which are new forsaking conservatism in favour of modernism still take
the Scripture as a divine revelation and the people are still accustomed to say,
"God Exalted has said" before quoting any passage from it and end the citation
with the words, "God Almighty has truly spoken".

European scholars of Islam, whether they be Prof Sergeant or George Sale
or contributors to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, cannot be expected to express
anything beyond their own impressions of the Holy Quran. They, even if not
inspired by a malicious prejudice, cannot shake off their mistaken notions about
Islam that have become a part of their intangible heritage of thought and feeling.
But, for us, Muslims, it is an apparent fact that God Almighty has Himself taken
the responsibility of preserving the Holy Qur'a"n in its absolute purity.

"Verify We, it is We who have revealed the Admonition, and varily We
are its Guardians ." [XV : 9 J
This prophecy has been strikingly confirmed by the fact that the Qur'Sn has
remained free from all alterations, accretions and deletions ever since it was enun-
ciated by the holy Prophet (peace be upon him). The purity of the Quranic
text maintained through fourteen centuries has already been acknowledged by
all, friends and foes alike. I would better cite here the commentary of the learned
author of this exegesis on the above verse. He writes :

"Islam knows no such thing as 'redactions' of its Holy Text. Even those
who have most stoutly denied its being the Word of God are unanimous in testifying
to its being exactly the same 'work of Muhammcd' as it was thirteen centuries ago.
Let us have the testimony of a few such unwilling witnesses : —

(i) 'The text of the Quran is the purest of all works of a like antiquity/
(Wherry, Commentry on the Qtiran. I, p. 349).

(ii) 'Othman's recension has remained the authorised text from the

time it was made until the present day', (Palmer, The Quran, Intro,
p. Iiv).

(iii) 'The text of this recension substantially corresponds to the actual
utterances of Muhammed himself/ (Arnold' Islamic faith, p. 9).

(iv) "All sects and parties have the same text of the Quran' (Hurgronje,
Mohammadanism, p. 18).

(v) 'It is an immense merit in the Kuran that there is no doubt as to its

[ xi ]

genuineness That very word we can now read with full confi-
dence that it has remained unchanged through nearly -thirteen hundred
years'. (Lane atid Lane-I'oole. Selections from the Kurort, Trubner,
London, Intro, p. c).

(vi) 'The recension of 'Otrin.an has been handed down to us unaltered

There is probably in ihe world no other work which has remained

twelve centuries with so pine a text' (Muir, Life of Mahomet, Intro,
pp. xxii-xxiii).

(vii) 'In the Koran we have, beyond all reasonable, doubt, the exact words
of Mohammad without substruction ami without addition/ (Bosworth
Smith, Mohammad and Mohammedanism, London 1874, p. 22).

(viii) "The Koran was his own creation; and it lies before us practically
unchanged from the form which he himself gave it', (Torrey, Jewish
Foundation of Islam, p. 2)."

In addition to these testimonies oi European orientalists about the purity

of ths text of the Holy Qur'an, the author goes on to substantiate the claim of

the Qur'a"n to be a Divine revelation which is undisputed and unique among all

the religious scriptures. He writes :

"Not only is the meaning of the Holy Book therefore inspired but every
word, every letter— dictated through the angel Gabriel to the holy Prophet from
an Archetype preserved in the heaven. That is the distinctive claim of the Holy
Qur'an shared by no other 'revealed Book' in the world. The Bible, in particular

'makes no such claim The Bible is the work of a large number of poets,

prophets, statesmen, and lawgivers, extending over a vast period of time, and
incorporates with itself other and earlier, and often conflicting documents".
(Boswarth Smith op. cit., p. 19).

The Divine care to preserve the purity of the Holy Qur'an provided the
impulse to put dots on alphabets of similar shape in order to distinguish between
their pronunciations, to develop the twin sciences of philology and lexicography,
and to lay down the rules of Arabic grammar and the criteria for rhetoric and style
of prose writing. This literary activity has never ceased for a day since the
second century of Islamic era. Also, the etymological structure of the Arabic
language has saved its dialects, like a strong cementing force, from falling apart
into distinct languages and thus the Divine revelation has remained intelligible to
the succeeding generations. It is also noteworthy that the Providential arrange-
ment of writing the commentaries of the Holy Qur'an started as early as the third
century A. H. In the beginning the exegesis of the Qur'an formed a part of the
science of the hadlth since it was generally thought that the divine revelation
could be understood only in the light of holy Prophet's Traditions, specially
those handed down by 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas. But the exegesis of the Qur'an
became an independent science with the Tafsir Tabrl of Abu J'afar Muhammad
b. Jarlr Tabrl (d. 310 A.H.) and it has ever since been vigorously cultivated by
the Muslims scholars. The commentaries on the Holy Qur'an written from time
to time are in fact a mine of historical information shedding light on the way the

[ «H ]

Qur'Sn was understood during different periods.

The Arabists and Orientalists, on the other hand, started translating the
Holy Qur'an from the thirteenth century A. D. and rendered it into almost all the
European languages, of which the largest number of translations were brought
out in French, German and English. A list of such translations was given by
Prof. Hamldullah in the introduction to his own French rendering of the Holy
Qur'an published in 1961. His another work entitled Al-Qur'an fl-Kull-i-Lisan,
now out of print, contained a complete list of all the translations of the Holy
Qur'an brought out up to 1341/1922. The list, I believe, would be two-fold in
volume if Prof. Hamldullah were now to bring it up-to-date.

Translations of the Holy Qur'an in English can be divided into two cate-
gories. First, there are those penned either by non-Muslim Orientalists or by
those Muslim apologists who were unduly impressed by the political ascendancy
and industrial advancement of the West, such as, the Qadiani exegetes. Shaikh
Muhammad 'Abduh of Egypt, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan of India and Muhammad
Asad of Austria, but their writings never met the approval of the Muslims.
Secondly, there are Muslim translators and commentators who mostly belong,
excepting Marmaduke Pickthal, to the Indo-Pak sub-continent. Pickthal was
an English Muslim, a journalist and a literary man of standing but he, too, was
commissioned by the then Niz§m of Hyderabad to undertake an explanatory
translation of the Holy Qur'an and he also wrote that work in India.

Among the translators and exegetes of the second group the translation
and commentary on the Holy Qur'an by 'Abdullah Yusuf 'All was received
popularly. His rendering of the Quranic verses is in blank verse which, according
to him, is more suited to convey something of the Qur'an's inimitable symphony
to the readers of the Qur'an in English. But the requirement of prosody made
it inevitable for him to alter the wording order of the sacred text. He had also
occasionally to deviate from a literal rendering. Pickthal's explanatory translation,
on the other hand, is most readable. Although it is also not free from mistakes,
it has an edge over other translations because of its fluency and gracefulness of
style.

There was, however, the need of another English translation of the Holy
Qur'an, complete with explanatory notes, which could be recommended with
confidence to the Muslims and Non-Muslims whose mother tongue was English
or who found it easy, owing to their cultural background or educational upbring-
ing, to understand it better in English language. The author of such an exegesis
had to expound the Quranic text in terms acceptable to the scholars of the
Ahl-Sunnat wal-Jama'at; to avoid putting forward his own views and ideas in the
exegesis; to be fully conversant with the Arabic lexicon and rules of grammar;

[ xiii ]

to avoid the apologetic approach in expounding the Quranic injunctions and
institutions; to have an implicit faith in the life after death and the rewards and
retributions promised in the Qur'an as divine pronouncements instead of taking
them merely as symbolical expressions ; to have studied all the classical and
modern commentaries in depth; to be able to expound the significance of Quranic
injunctions in regard to polygamy, slavery, dowry, execution of the apostates,
blood-wit etc.; to hold the same belief about the throne {'arsh and kurs'i), the
preserved tablet {lauhu'l Mahfuz) t \\nnee, angels, prophethood (nabuwat), revela-
tion (wahl). and the earlier and final divine scriptures as entertained by the earliest
Muslims; and to have no qualms about the bodily lifting of Jesus Christ to the
higher regions. Taking all these factors into account, the translation and commen-
tary of 'Abdul Majid DaryabadT is undoubtedly unique and most acceptable among
all the exegetical renderings of the Holy Qur'an attempted so far in the English
language

The exegesis by Daryabadi throws ample light on all those peoples who have
been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an alongwith their geographical locations and the
eras in which they flourished. One can find all the necessary details about the
earlier prophets who find a mention in the Holy Qur'an, since it provides answers
to such questions as what was the time of their advent, who were the peoples to
whom they disseminated the message vouchsafed to them, who were the Adites
and Thamudites and the people of Prophet Salih, where those people lived,
where were Babil and Madyan located and similar other questions that arise in
mind while reading the Holy Qur'Sn.

The exegesis also demonstrates in the light of human experience and
researches made in the field of anthropology and sociology the superiority of Islamic
social order and its legislations pertaining to marriage, divorce, inheritance etc.,
over all other social laws and systems. It shows how the Islamic injunctions
represent the most refined and elaborate system of social existence known to the
civilized world.

In addition to these, a distinguishing feature of Daryaba*di's exegesis is
that it provides a conclusive answer fo those Jewish and Christian critics of
Islam who claim that the Holy Qur'3n draws its material from the scriptures and
apocryphal writings of Judaism and Christianity. In fact these critics are unable
to appreciate the fact that the Holy Qur'Sn has been revealed to confirm the
scriptures of old and to re-state and uphold the spirit of their true teachings,
which, by itself, involves refutation of such accretions, alterations and additions
as have found a place into the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity.

"And when there came unto them a Book from before Allah confirming
that which was with them— and aforetime they were entreating God for
victory over those who disbelieved— then when there came unto them that

[ xiv ]

Wli

iiich they recognised, they disbelieved therein". (II : 89).

That the Qur'an is a repository of divine message revealed in the earlier

scriptures is an article of faith for tho Muslims, but it was necessary to bring out

those teachings of the Torah and the Gospels which were confirmed by the Hoiy

Qur'an in order to distinguish them from the spurious matter inserted into these

scriptures by their scribes, translator; and commentators For whatever in these

Books finds a confirmation by the Holy Qur'an is undoubtedly correct; everything

else is a later addition mixed up with trie divine revelation. The learned author

has taken pains to make a most thorough study by making a comparative analysis

of the Biblical and Quranic teachings and narratives of events common to

both, in order to show how the Holy Qur'an upholds only the correct and original

teachings of the Old and New Testaments. He also provides food for thought

to those Orientalists and students of comparative religions who prefer not to talk

about the systematic refusal of the Holy Qur'an to confirm numerous accretions

to the existing Bible. The exegesis pin-points all such differences to show that

the Biblical version of many an incident is nothing but a product of human

imagination. His treatment of such matters, makes it amply clear that if there

had been any parallelism in the Bible and the Qur'Sn, as asserted by almost all

European scholars, there would not have been the differences indicated by him in

the narration of the same event by these scriptures. To give an example we may

refer to the following verse in the Holy Qur'an :

"O people of the Book; do not exceed the bounds fa your religion,
and say not of Allah save what is the truth. The Messiah /sa, son of
Mary am, is hut a messenger of Allah and His Word -He cast it upon Mary am
—and a spirit from Him. Believe therefore in Allah and His messengers,
and do not say : three". (IV: 171).

Commenting on the Christian belief in Trinity, the learned author says :
"Trinity denotes the central doctrine of Christian religion. It means that
God is three really distinctive Persons— the Father, the Son. and the Holy Ghost.
Hach of these persons is truly the same God, and has all His infinite perfections,

yet He is really distinct from each of the three Persons These Persons are

co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial, and deserve co-equal glorv and adoration
which the Church expresses in the oft-repeated prayer: "Glorv be to the Father'
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost/ (Pollen and Wvnne. New Catholic Dic-
tionary, New York, p. 973). The book of Tslarn 'found in the dogma of Trinity
what every emancipated thinker finds on impartial reflection—an absurd legend
Which IS neither reconcilable with first principles of reason, nor of anv value what-
ever lor our religious advancement. In the Brahmanic religion the Trimurti is

also conceived at a "divine unity" made up of three persons-Brahma (the creator),

«n wi ( OT« l,,t !5 er) ^ Shi . Va . (th ° d* 1 ™ *«■>'• (Hacckal. Riddle of the Universe,
pp. /uo, 4«). Hi* Divine trinity has been considered n tripersonal "trinity, each
person being God and Lord .... Men's minds have been brought by this into such
a state of bewilderment that they do not know whether there is one God or whether

The T^ nZtJ ° n D r -° n th t lips ' bllt three in their thoughts'. (Swedenborg.
The True Christian Rehgton, p. 5). 'The Nicene Creed really 'teaches three Divin

[ "V ]

Poisons and denies three Gods, and leaves us to guess what else is a Divine Person
but a Cod or a God but a Divine Person'. (Newman, Phases of Faith, p. 23)".

The Jews and Christians normally charge Islam with preaching fana-
ticism and intolerance as, for example, its prohibition of marriage between a
believing and disbelieving couple. The author has, in his commentary on the
relevant verses, quoted the scriptures of their religions to show that the criticism
actually applies to these religions rather than to Islam. In a like manner he
has demonstrated the superiority of Islamic legislation in regard to divorce
and marriage vis-a-vis the raptured family relationships in the Christian West.

The classical commentators of the Holy Qur'an had occasionally to take
the help of Israelite traditions, though cautiously, for elucidating a certain event
of which only a particular aspect of the happening finds a mention in the Qur'an
in order to draw a moral from it. To cite an example here, the Qur'an says about
King Solomon in verse 102 of the Surat-ul-Baqrah :

"And Sulaiman blasphemed not, but the satans blasphemed: teaching

the people magic . And they foffow a/so what was sent unto the two

angels in Babil, Harut and Ma rut."

In the absence of any more details about the incident, one may wonder
how the charge of blasphemy came to be levelled against King Solomon, a
Prophet of God, which has been refuted by the Qur'an. Like the earlier exegetes
Darya"ba"d7 has also referred to the accusation of idolatry made against King
Solomon in 1 Ki. 11 : 4, 9. 10 He also mentions how the, Jews 'unhlushingly
attributed to him the cult of crude occultism and witchcraft', and goes on to
cite the findings of modern Biblical researches which support the Qur'an in
stoutly denying these charges. Similarly, he sets forth evidence to show that
Babylonia was the strongest citadel of magic and witchcraft in al! antiquity.

Another distinctive feature of DaryabadT's rendering of the Ouranic text is
that he has always kept in view the most appropriate expression in English or the
one which is closely nearest to the interpretation of a word used in the Holy
Qur'an. To give an example here the words ^Lt, (zahir) and ,J?L» (batin) in the
passage Kxh b ^ JUjatfel^i have be*n translaled bv him as 'outside' and 'inside'
which convey the literal sense of these words. The derived meanings of these
two words 'open' and 'secret', which have been normally adopted by other
translators in rendering this passage into English, have been given by him in the
footnotes. This approach of the author shows his painstaking diligence and
reverential regard for the sacred text. Another example of a similar assiduous
care taken by him in this regard is to be found in rendering the verse XVII : 29
which runs as follows :

O Ijiy^ocv* L*jL* ,\*£XJ !=uu.jJ| L j5 L^k— v 3 } i_CiLLe ^Jt DyL*** ^~>&4 c j-*^^ ' 5

[ ** ]

This verse has been translated to read as follows :

"Let not your hand he chained to your neck, nor stretch it forth to the
utmost of its extremity, lest thou sit down reproached, impovrished"

The English rendering of the above verse is literal; an idiomatic
translation would have better conveyed the sense but it would have also meant a
deviation from the text of the sacred Scripture. Unlike other translators of the
Holy Qur'an who prefer to give the derived meanings of an Arabic word or
phrase, DaryabadT has chosen te give an exact translation of the text and then
explained in the footnote that "let not thine hand be chained to thy neck" means
"do not 1 e niggardly". This, however, does not sugggest that the renderings of
other translators are incorrect, but it nevertheless evinces the regard and attach-
ment of the author as well as his solicitude to maintain the original wordings of
the divine revelation. He goes on to explain the correct significance of the words
and phrases according to Arabic usage and also points out, at several places, the
incorrect renderings by earlier translators, and thus acquaints the readers with the
Arabic idiom.

Every student of the Holy Qur'Sn knows that the Divine Scripture has its
own distinctive vocabulary. As, for insiance, the Qur'an has not been referred to
by its proper name at all the places; often it is alluded to as ^s±\\ {az-zikr), or
tt£~z.)\ (al-hak'im), or ^Ixdl (af-kitah), or JtfyS (furqan). For the Doomsday, it
uses the words ^LoJl^ (yom al-qiyamah), i ^\ MtS3 }\ f>i (yom al-hisah),
^UxllfM-i (V om al-toghahun) and kJv^jM (al-akhazah). In addition to gH-aJl
(as-sa/at), the prayers are also referred to as J&}\ (az-zikr) and .^niM L J>3
(qur'an al-fajr) and similar other epithets. The classical commentators of the
Qur'Sn have explained the correct purport of each word in the context of
particular verses so as to make it clear where a certain word with more than one
connotation as, for example, ^S&)\ (az-zikr) denotes the Qur'an and where it
implies prayer. The legists of Islam have likewise indicated the significance of
each word having more than one import in its particular context. In the verse
^^ftaflpt^jw^jjJfcptyT , SJUit^Sf, the phrase ^^S^a*^^ signifies offering
congregational prayers as explained by Qartabi, LaghwT, Madrak-ul-TanzTf,
Baidawl and Kashshaf. Instond of rendering this phrase as "bow down among
those who bow", the author has interpreted it as "bow down with those who bow
down", and further elucidated it in the notes with the words, "with the Muslims
in the congregational prayer" so that the correct significance of the phrase given
by classical exegetes may become clear to the readers.

The Holy Qur'an is, after all, the Word of God, perfect and faultless, while
no man can make a claim to finality or impeccability. Every product of human
mind is likely to contain some deficiency, yet, for all that, 'Abdul Majid Dary§badi
has acquitted himself of this onerous task in a laudable manner. Throughout his

; xvii

life he preoccupied himself with the study of the Holy Qur'an and wrote an
exegesis in Urdu in addition to the English one. His translation and commentary
is, to my mind, unique and most dependable among all the translations and
commentaries of the Qur'an so far attempted in English language.

May Allah accept his praiseworthy endeavour and shower His choicest
blessings on him.

Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi

Lucknow:

Shawwa"! 15, 1401 /August 16, 1981

SYSTEM OF TRANSLITERATION

Below is given the system of transliteration adopted in this
work :

la fe z

' * t ' ('«"£, '«-£''*-£)

V b £ gh

ia t cJ f

»*y th

)

ij"

cJk

isi

(as

vowel)

(as

consonant)

(as

vowel)

(as

consonant)

#»

an (above the line)
]g t "J" in (below the line)

ABBREVIATIONS

(1) BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Ac. — Acts of the Apostles.

Am. «=» Amos.

1. Gh. = The First Book of the Chronicles.

2. Oil. =s The Second Book of the Chronicles.
Col. = Paul's First Epistle to Colossians.

1. Cor. *= Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthinians.

2. Cor. = Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthinians.
Dn. = The Book of Daniel.

Dt. = Deuteronomy: The Fifth Book of Moses.

Ex. = Exodus : The Second Book of Moses.

Ez. = Ezra

Ezek. = The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.

Gr. Jn. = The Epistle General of John.

Ga. = Paul's Epistle to the Galatians.

Ge. = Genesis : The First Book of Moses.

He. sss Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews.

Ho. = Hosea.

Is. = Isaiah.

Ja. = The General Epistle of James.

Jn. sss Gospel according to St. John.

Jo. = Joel.

Job. = The Book of Job.

Jon. = The Book of Jonah.

Josh. = The Book of Joshua.

Judg. = The Book of Judges.

Je. = The Book of Jeremiah.

1. Ki. bbs The First Book of the Kings.

2. Ki. = The Second Book of the Kings.
La. ass The Lamentations of Jeremiah.
Lk. = Gospel according to St. Luke.

Le. = Leviticus : The Third Book of Moses.

Mi. = Micah.

[ xxii ]

Mk.

Mt.

Na.

Ne.

Ni.

1 Pe.

2. Pe.

Ph.

Pr.

Ps.

Re.

Ro.

1. Sa.

2. Sa.
So.

1. Thes.

2. Thes.

1. Ti.

2. Ti.
Tt.
Ze.

AAM =

"Ant."
Aq.

ASB.

AV.

AYA.

Bdh

BK.

CD.
CE.
CE.
DB.
DGA.

Gospel according to St. Mark.

Gospel according to St. Matthew.

Nahum.

The Book of Nehemiah.

Numbers : The Fourth Book of Moses.

The First Epistle General of Peter.

The Second Epistle General of Peter.

Paul's Epistle to Philippians.

The Proverbs.

The Book of Psalms.

The Revelation of St. John.

Pauls's Epistle to the Romans.

The First Book of Samuel.

The Second Book of Samuel.

The Song of Solomon.

Paul's First Epistle to Thessalonians.

Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians.

Paul's First Epistle to Timothy.

Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy

Paul's Epistle to Titus.

Zechariah.

(2) GENERAL

Abul 'Ala Mandudi, Urdu translator and commentator of the
Holy Quran.

Josephus' 'Antiquities of the Jews.' (Routledge, London).
Shah Abdul Qadir Deblavl (D. 1241 A.H./1826 CE). Urdu
translator and commentator of the Holy Qur'an.
Asad's English Translation of Sahlh al-Bukharl.
Authorised Version of the Bible.

•Abdullah Yusuf 'All. English translator and commentator of the
Holy Qur'an.

Nasir-ud-Din 'Abdullah Baidhavl (D. 685 A.H./1282 C.E.).
Commentator of the Holy Qur'an.

'Book of Knowledge,' 4 Vols. (Educational Book Co., London).
Pallen and Wynne's 'New Catholic Dictionary.' (New York).
McDannall's 'Concise Encyclopedia,' 8 Vols. (New York).
Christian Era.

Hastings' 'Dictionary of" the Bible,' 5 Vols. (Clark, London).
Smith and Cheetham's 'Dictionary of Christian Antiquities,'
2 Vols. (Murray, London).

xxiii

DCG.
DV.

EBi,

El.

EMK.

ERE.

ESS.

ET.
FWN.
GB.
GRE.

HHW

HJ.

IA.

Id-

JE.
LL.
LSK.
M.A.

NSBD. ■=
NSD. =

Hasting's Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, 2 Vols.
Douay Version of the Bible.
Cheyne and Black's 'Encyclopedia Biblica,' 4 Vols. (Black,

London).

i n '

i [J

'Encyclopedia Britannica/ 24 Vols. 14th Edition, (London and
New York). Where no edition is specified, the reference is to
14th Edition.
Houtsma and Wensink's 'Encyclopedia of Islam.' 5 Vols. (Luzac,

London).

Hammertoes 'Encyclopedia of Modern Knowledge,' 5 Vols.
(Waverly, New York).

Hastings' 'Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, 5 13 Vols. (Clark,
London).

Seligman's 'Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences/ 15 Vols.
(Macmillan, London).

Cohen's 'Everyman's Talmud/ (Dent, London).
Frazer's 'Worship of Nature/ 2 Vols. (Macmillan, London).
Ragg's 'The Gospel of Barnabas.' (Oxford).

Gibbon's 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire/ 7 Vols.
(Methuen, London).

'Historians' History of the World/ 25 Vols. (The Times, London).
The Hibbert Journal. (Constable, London).

Hadhrat. 'Abdullah Ibn-i-'Abbas. (D. 68 A.H./688 C.E.) (A com-
panion and cousin of the Prophet).

Ibn-i-Qutaiba. (D. 276 A.H./890 C.E.) Author of 'Arabic Glossary
of the Holy Qur'an/

'The Jewish Encyclopedia/ 12 Vols. (Funk and Wagnalls,
New York).

Lane's 'Arabic-English Lexicon/ 8 Vols. (Williams and Norgate,
London).

Lane and Lane-Poole's 'Selections from the Kuran/ (Trubner,
London).

Mawlana Mohammad 'All: (D. 1349 A.H./1931 C.E.) Indian
Muslim leader. (Not to be confused with his namesake of Lahore
and a translator of the Qur'an). The references are to his
unpublished work, 'Islam: The Kingdom of God' (since published
as 'My Life— A Fragment' by Sh. M. Ashraf, Lahore).
A New Standard Bible Dictionary (Funk & Wagnalls Co.,
New York).
♦New Standard Dictionary of the English Language/ 4 Vols. (Funk

XXIV

]

NT.
OT.
PC.
Rgh.

RV.
RZ.

SOED.
SPD.

Th.

UHW.

VJE.
WGAL.

Zm.

and Wagnalls, New York).

The New Testament.

The Old Testament.

Tylor's 'Primitive Culture/ 2 Vols. (Murray, London.)

Al-Raghib al-A fahani, Husain b. Muhammad, Al-Mufradat fi

Gharib-il-Qura .

Revised Version of the Bible.

Imam Fakhruddin RazT. (D. 659 A.H./1209 O.K.). Well-known

commentator of the Holy Qur'an.

'Shorter Oxford English Dictionary,' 2 Vols (Oxford).

Sale's 'Preliminary Discourse to the Translation of the Koran,'

prefixed as Introduction to Wherry's 'Commentary on the Kuran,'

4 Vols. (Trubner, London).

Maulana Ashraf 'All Thanavl (B. 1280 A. H./1864 C. E.). Urdu

translator and commentator of the Holy Qur'an.

Hammerton's 'Universal History of the World', 8 Vols. (New

York).

Vallcntine's 'One Volume Jewish Encyclopedia.' (London).

Wright's 'Grammar of the Arabic Language,' 2 Vols.

(Cambridge).

Jar-ul-lah Zamakhsharl (D. 538 A.H./1144 C.E.). Commentator

of the Holy Qur'an.

PART I 1
Surat-ul 2 Fatiha 2

The Opening* I

(Makkan* 7 Verses 5 )
[•n fl the name of Allah, 7 the Compassionate, 8 the Merciful. 9
( yK*l*S\ . . . ^-^vJ!) All Praise 10 unto Allah," Lord" of the worlds. 11

2 Part I

2. (*a£w) . . . >i\) Tne Compassionate, 14 the Merciful."

3 ( .*-»Afl • • ■ «~flU) Sovereign 18 of the Day of Reckoning. 17

4. ( .^uu; . . . uJIjI) Thee alone we 18 worship ; 19 and of Thee alone
we seek help 20 .

5. (juJiXvuJI . . . U|j*i) Guide us in the straight" path,

6. L^is. . . . \c\y>) the Path of those whom Thou hast favoured."

7. (.vj^Lol! . . . >xi) 0" whom Thy indignation has not befallen," and
who have not gone astray. 24

1. The Holy Qur'an is divided, for convenience' sake, in thirty parts or
Purahs of almost equal length.

2. A Surah is a chapter. There are 1 14 chapters in the Book, each chapter
having been named and assigned its proper place by the Holy Prophet himself.

3. A simple and pithy, yet wonderfully comprehensive prelude to the Holy
Writ. Its beauty, grandeur and self-sufficiency simply defy comparison. 'A
vigorous hymn of praise to God . . . The thoughts are so simple as to need no
explanation, and yet the prayer is full of meaning/ [EBr. XV. p. 903 (11th Ed.) ]

4. i. e., revealed at Makka.

5. A verse of the Qur'an is, like a verse of the Bible, one of the short
divisions of a chapter.

6. A more accurate, though perhaps a little less elegant, rendering would be
'by.' The particle i_, in &JJ\ **»j is ZJUJUV!^ signifying 'by,' or 'through,' and is
to be paraphrased as 'I seek the assistance of .'

7. The word is incapable of translation. It is not a common noun meaning
a 'god' or even 'God.' It is a proper noun par excellence. No plural can be formed
from it, and it is, according to the best authorities, without derivation. The word
connotes all the attributes of perfection and beauty in their infinitude, and denotes
none but the One and Unique God, the Absolute, Supreme, Perfect, Tender,
Mighty, Gracious, Benign and Compassionate. The English word 'God,' which

is 'the common Teutonic word for a personal object of religious worship

.applied to all superhuman beings of heathen mythologies who exercise power over
nature and man.' (EBr. X. p. 460) and which primarily meant only 'what is
invoked' and 'what is worshipped by sacrifice.' (SOED. I. 808) can hardly be even
an approximate substitute.

8. t, e., the possessor of the utmost degree of mercy or compassion. The
word .^i-v > is only expressive of God's love to man, and not of man's love to man,
or to Him. The term is too strong to be used of men. All the Surahs (with one
solitary exception) begin with this headline, which sums up in two brief, fine words
God's relation to man — the relation par excellence of love, sympathy, concern, solici-
tude, compassion and mercy. This in itself is sufficient to confound those detractors

/. Surat-ul Fatiha

of the Quran, who depict, ihe God of Islam as a Deity cruel, wrathful, and
relentless. The God the Muslims adore and worship, whatever else He may be, is
above all, 'the Compassionate' and 'the Merciful/

9. Contrast with this unreservedly monotheistic introductory formula of
Islam the glaringly polytheistic introductory formula of Christianity : — 'In the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'

10- . ..s.^ is not only praise but it 'also implies admiration ; and it implies the
magnifying or honouring, of the object thereof; and lowliness, humility, or
submissiveness, in the person who offers it.' (LL)

11. (and Him alone). Note the absolutely monotheistic note of the very
first words of ihe Holy Qnr'an. It is He alone who is the recipient of all praise;
the Praiseworthy ; the Praised One. None of His favoured angels and prophets are
to be associated with Him, even by implication.

12. 'Lord' is but a poor substitute for the Arabic { _ J . which signifies not
only the Sovereign but also the Sustainer, the Nourisher, the Regulator, and the
Perfector. The relation in which the God of Islam stands to all His creation is
thai of a righteous, benign Ruler, and not that of a mere 'father.'

13. i. e., the Universal Patron, the All-in-all Guardian. Not a tribal deity,
nor the national God of any specially favoured race or people, nor yet the narrow
'Lord of ihe Hosts' or the anthropomorphic 'our Father in heaven'. Unlike many
a tribal or national 'god,' embodying the spirit of a particular nation, and perishing
with its death, He is the ever-living moral Ruler of the world. yJix}\ signifies 'the
several sorts of created beings or things, or all the sorts thereof; or the beings of the
universe, or of the whole world,' (LI.) Anyway, the all-embracing and all-compre-
hensive Godhead of .^JUM v_>) »S evident. And from the unity of the Creator
naturally follows the essential unity of all creation.

14. v*^.yJl anc * /♦-^y'i are narncs or epithets applied to God ; the former . . .
may be rendered, 'The Compassionate' ; the latter, considered as expressive of a
constant attribute with somewhat of intensiveness, agreeably witli analogy, may be

rendered 'The Merciful' They are both names or epithets formed to denote

intensiveness of signification, from*^.*; like Lv^LJJl from i__^ac and^jJjOl from ,»Xc
(LL).

15. Both words ^ , and (jp. » arc derived from £^.; which signifies
tenderness, requiring the exercise of beneficence and thus comprising the idea of
love and mercy. Both are intensive forms. The former denotes tenderness towards
all His creatures in general, and the latter towards His worshippers in particular.
The Divine attribute of Rahmat may on analysis be found to have the following as
its components : — (1) His provision of everything beforehand that could be needed
by man in the world; (2) His concern for the well-being of man, both in life and
death ; (3) His tenderness for man's helplessness, and (4) a disposition on His part
to deal kindly and generously with man.

4 Part I

16. Or 'owner', i. e., Master with full powers to exercise forgiveness and
clemency : not a mere judge bound to award punishment to the guilty.

17. (when His sovereignty shall be more evident than ever, and manifest
even to the worst scoffers). The general Requital will follow the general Resurrec-
tion, wherein all men, good and bad will be judged according to their faith and
works. The verse completely repudi tes the Christian doctrine that Christ, not
God, would be the judge. Cf. the NT — 'For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son." Jn. 5 : 22)

18. i. e. Thy humble servants.

19. (and none do we associate v th Thee in worship.) Now begins the
petition proper. The pronoun in ly.xjJiwJ-lji ' s placed before the verb for the sake
of emphasis, and a very strong one is intended by prefixing the pronoun with \j\
Clearly there is no place in Islam for any Son-prophet or angel-worship. Contrast
this with the open and avowed worship of Christ in the Christian Church. 'The
Church . . . never ceased to offer prayer to Christ with the Father.' (ERE, I,
p. 104). In the Catholic Church there are three distinct kinds of worship:
(I) lalria (due to God), (2) hypudulia (due to the Virgin Mary), and (3) dulia
(due to the saints). Islam recognizes no such distinctions. In it there is only one
class of worship, that due to God alone.

20. Note again the strictly monotheistic tone of the Islamic prayer. Not
only is there to be no creature-worship but even the invoking for help of any saint,
prophet, angel, 'Son/ 'Daughter,' or 'Mother' is absolutely forbidden. In .Him
alone Perfection dwells. He alone must be invoked. Contrast with this the
doctrine of the Roman Church : 'That the saints who reign with Christ offer to
God their prayers for man ; that it is good and useful to invoke them by supplica-
tion and to have recourse to their aid and assistance in order to obtain from God
His benefits through His Son.' (EBr. XIX, p. 820) In Hinduism the invocations
to Indra, Agni, Soma and many others are too well known to need description.

21. (and right). \,j&$>\ has much wider significance than 'showing us the
way.' What the supplicant is asking for is not merely that the way be pointed out or
verbally indicated to him, but that he may, by the Divine grace, be actually led on
to his goal, — the Guide, as if, accompanying the guided and leadinghim on and on.

22. (in the matter of right guidance such as Thy prophets and saints).

23. (in consequence of their wilful and deliberate choice of the path of
perdition). A strictly literal rendering would be, 'who are angered upon.' The
anger of God 'is His disapproving of the conduct of him who disobeys Him, and
whom He will therefore punish.' (LL) 'Righteous Indignation' has been defined in
modern psychology as resentment come to the aid of the moral feelings, — retribution
that must overtake wrongdoers and the tyrants and oppressors of mankind ; and
surely no indignation can be more righteous than the Divine one. It is a timid
philosophy that hesitates to hate and condemn the evil and the evildoer in the

Sural- ul Fatiha

strongest terms. For the 'wrath" of God compare the OT:-'Let i™ alone that
my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them/ (Ex. 32 :
9-10) 'I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth
against you.' (Dt. 9: 19) And the NT ;-<0 generation of vipers, who hath
warned you to flee from the wrath to come V (Mt. 3 : 7) 'And he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 5 (Re. 19:15)

24. I. e., those who have deviated from the right course owing to their
heedlessness and want of proper serious thinking.

Surat-ul-Baqarah

The Cow 25 II

Medinian 2r '— 40 Sections, 27 286 Verses

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

SECTION 1
1. (j|) Alif-LSm-MFm 28

2 - (^xJh . .i.Si\S This 29 Book 30 whereof there is no doubt, 31 is a
guidance 32 to the God fearing, 33

//. Surnt-ul-Baqarah

3. ( .jJLUj. . . ,woJ!) who believe 34 in the Unseen, 35 and establish prayer, 36
and of what We have provided them expend, 37

4. ( ..yJ^j. . . .wdJU) and wno believe in what has been sent down to
thee," and what has been sent down before thee, 30 and of the Hereafter 10 they
are convinced. 41

25. The title of this chapter was occasioned by the mention of yellow cow
in verses 66-73.

26. i. e., revealed at Madina.

27. Another structural division of every Surah is into 'sections' of various
lengths.

28. Three letters of the Arabic alphabet generally held to be symbolic of
some profound and sublime mystic verities. 'God knows best what He means by
these letters.' (Th) Some, however, on the authority of IA. consider the letters to
be an abbreviation of some such phrase as a^ & jj| \j\ which means T am Allah, the
best KiKiwpr.' The Arabic orators sometimes used to open their discourses with
similar vocables. Also compare Ps. 119 in the OT, where the Psalmist has arranged
his meditations in an elaborate alphabetical form. It has been called the alphabet
of Divine Love.

29. The demonstrative pronoun iji)\& usually indicates remoteness of
distance, but sometimes, as here, has the force of suggesting esteem, honour, grand-
ncss, and high value.

30. i__>US ' s literally a writing, or a written revelation. The Qur'an thus
at its very beginning declares itself to be a written, not an oral, Revelation, passing
only from mouth to mouth for generations. It is 'Book' essentially, and not by
accident.' Unlike the 'sacred literatures' of other religions, it is a single Book from
the very start, and not a collection or a literature, grown and developed and
composed at different periods by different hands reflecting the history of their times.
It is even in this 20th century of the Christian era, The Book par excellence, 'the most
widely-read book in existence.' (EBr. XV. p. 898, 11th Ed.) 'Though the youngest
of the epoch-making books, the Koran is the most widely-read book ever written.'
(Hitti, History of the Arabs, p. 126)

31. (that it is the immediate, infallible word of God.) The Qur'an differs
from all other 'sacrrd literatures' in claiming to be inspired in the strictest sense,
each and every word of it being the word of God Himself and in its being preserved
in its original purity. &jj may also mean 'wherein'. On this construction the
purport would be : This is a Book in which nothing is doubtful but everything
is absolutely true and strictly accurate; not changeable like human knowledge.

32. Not a text-book of chronology or of physical science, but a Guidance, —
showing the right way to right beliefs and right conduct. 'Not a book meant to be

8 Part '

read as most Europeans read it to-day sitting comfortably in an arm-chair with the
critical faculties specially stimulated, ready to carp and cavil on the least provoca-
tion. It was not revealed fqr the Arabs as 'literature' designed only to plpasc,
though it was admitted by the most- inveterate enemies of the Prophet to be superior
to any existing 'literature' in the language of which they were proud . . . And yet it
was not its literary excellence that had the chief significance for those for whom it
was revealed in this fragmentary fashion. To them it. was a Holy Writ, God's
Commandment, the Law and the Ethics according to which they had to shape their
lives.' (MA)

33. i. c, those who have an inner moral sense; are not devoid of a con-
science ; are God-conscious.

34. Belief, as defined in modern psychology, is the mental state of assurance
or conviction in which a mind accepts and endorses its experience as corresponding
with reality, — the reality, assented to and endorsed in the case of religious belief, of
course being of a far wider, far deeper, and far more comprehensive nature than
reality elsewhere. With belief, in this sense, there invariably emerges a sense of
security, a feeling of satisfaction that the road to salvation has been found — a
subsuming of oneself in the all-comprising Reality.

35. i. e., what lies beyond this world of sense and is undiscernible by mere
reason; such things as Resurrection, Paradise, Hell, etc. ^^i is 'anything unper-
ceivablc : absent from the range, or beyond the reach of perception by sense, or of
mental perception : or undiscoverable unless by means of Divine revelation.' (LL)
Now this 'Unseen' or Great Beyond is the very breath of religion. Whoever
disbelieves in it, disbelieves in religion altogether. 'Were one asked', . says the
eminent Harvard psychologist, William James, 'to characterise the life of religion
in the broadest and most general terms possible, one might say that there is an unseen
order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto.
This belief and this adjustment are the religious attitude in the soul.' (Varieties of
Religious Experience, p. 53) The reality, the existence, of this Great Beyond,, so long
ignored or even denied and ridiculed by the materialistic West, is at long last being
recognised by modern science. Says a leading British archaeologist of the day :—
"The unsound materialistic teaching of the past generation obscured this great fact
of existence. Too much emphasis was placed on what was dubbed 'Reason/ and
too little on Intuition." (Marston, The Bible is True, p. 214) 'The recognition
by modern science of the reality of the Unseen has dealt a death-blow to materia-
lism.' (Marston, The Bible Comes Alive, p. 252)

36. (at its proper time and with full observance of its rules and conditions).
Prayer on our part is the truest recognition of God's supreme and infinite excel-
lence and our total submission to it.

37. (in the cause of God and religion).

38. (O Prophet!).

Surat-ul-Baqarah

39. (to other prophets of diverse nations and countries).

40. i. c, of the fact of the Judgment-Day.

41. Not a mere feeling, or suspicion, or opinion, but firm, unshakable
adherence of mind to the truth of the Hereafter because revealed by God.
Conviction, in its fulness, is not an exercise of (he intellect, but the assent and
consent of the entire human personality— the recognition of a truth with heart, mind
and soul. The reaction set up by the belief in the Hereafter in the minds of
humble believers is far stronger than that clue to sensible perceptions.

10 Part I

5. ( „»,Ur». • .i»£fttO These are on guidance from their Lord, 42 and
these are the blissful ones. 43

6. C , iVu vjAJI ,0 Surely those who have disbelieved, 41 it is alike to
them whether thou hast warned them or hast not warned them ; 45 they will not
believe 46 .

7. i+xlbj: u!w. . .*JUI *£&.) Allah has set a seal on their hearts 47 and on
their hearing, and on their sight is a covering, 48 and for them shall be a torment
mighty. 40

SECTION 2

8. (^xK* fv- • .^LUI 1^3) And °* mankmd are some who say: we
believe in Allah and in the Last Day, yet they are not believers. 50

9- ( . . . vjutuf U . . . ^ijxAsij) They would deceive Allah and those who
believe/ 1 whereas they deceive not save themselves, 52 and they perceive not.

10. ( .oajCj. , . f^j-jlf ,i) In their hearts is a disease. 53 so Allah has increased
unto them that disease, 64 and for them shall be a torment afflictive 55 for they have
been lying. 50

11* (^yzd***. . • L Ult£U) And when it is said to them : 57 make not
mischief on the earth 68 they say : we are but reformists. 59

1 2. ( ,>.f*Aj. . .*$iJM I) Surely it is they who are the mischief-makers and
yet they realise not.

42. To sum up : the rightly-guided and the God-fearing are distinguished
by (o) their belief in the unseen Beyond, (b) their intense devotion to their Creator
(or their steadfastness in prayers), (r) their benevolence to their fellow-creatures
(or the free spending of their possessions), (d) their belief in the Prophet's apostle-
ship, (e) their belief in all previous Books, and (f) their firm belief in the
Hereafter.

43. (in this world by receiving the true guidance, and in the Next, by
getting the full reward thereof). There is no word in English to convey the full

' //. Surat-ul Baqarah 11

sense of _lj and ,,»2nlk» • 'There is not in the language of the Arabs any word
more comprehensive in its significations of what is good in the present life and in
the final state than -UJJ/ (LL)

44. (and still choose to remain infidels).

45. (O Prophet!).

46. (because they have no will to believe).

47. (by their being inured to the acts of disobedience and infidelity).
'Heart/ in the Qiir'an as in the Bible, is the seat of all emotional, intellectual and
volitional life, and the centre of all moral and spiritual functions. Note that the
Divine scaling of the hearts follows the deliberate choice of disbelief, and not causes it.

48. All this is the natural and inevitable sequel to the rejectors' obstinate
refusal to open their hearts to receive, their ears to hear, and their eyes to see the
good and the true, and is only ascribable to God as all acts, as such, are ultimately
bound to be ascribed to Him. It is those who will not believe that are condemned
to judicial blindness which portends the more awful punishment of Hell, Cf. the
NT: — 'Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand : and seeing ye shall see, and
not perceive : For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of
hearing and their eyes have they closed/ (Ac. 28: 25-27) 'And for this cause
God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie/ (2 Thes. 2:11)
And also the OT: — 'They have not known nor understood : for he hath shut their
eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand/
(Is. 44 : 18) 'The Lord hath forced out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath
closed your eyes/ (29 : 10)

49. (in the Hereafter). A just retribution, after, the last judgment, to the
finally impenitent. i_j!iJ.£ 'genci ally signifies any corporal punishment ; and, by an
extension of the original signification, any implication of pain that disgraces or
puts to shame ; originally, beating; afterwards used to signify any painful punish-
ment, torture, or torment/ (LL) Cf. its mention in the Bible. 'And many of them
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, . . . some to shame and everlasting
contempt/ (Dn. 12:2) 'And these shall go away into everlasting punishment/
(ML 25:46)

50. (at heart, and in fact). The preceding section spoke of two classes of
people, the believers and the unbelievers. The present section describes another
class — really a sub-variety of the disbelieving class — the 'hypocrites' or the dissem-
blers who abounded in Madina. This singular class of people professed Islam with
their lips and pretended to be good and faithful Muslims, yet were not only infidels
at heart but inveterate enemies of the Messenger and the Message he had brought.

51. (by concealing infidelity and pretending belief.)

52. i. e. t their mendacity will recoil on themselves both in this world and
the Hereafter.

53. (which they arc developing and their principles of action are perverted).

-1 2 Part I

54. Cf. the Bible :— 'My people would not hearken to my voice ... so 1
gave them up unto their own hearts' lust ; and they walked in their own counsels'.
(Ps. 81: H-12)) 'Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of
heaven' (Ac. 7 : 42). 'Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through
the lusts of their own hearts.' (Ro. 1 : 24)

55. This retribution for their habits of dissimulation and deceit, as apart
from their sin of infidelity, is distinguished by its being specially afflictive.

56. Compare the lot of the hypocrites in the sacred literature of the Jews :-

'Let God destroy them that live in hypocrisy in the company of the saints Let

the ravens peck out the eyes of the men that work hypocrisy.' (JE. VI. p. 514)
'Every person in whom is hypocrisy brings wrath upon the world, his prayer remains
unheard, is cursed even by the embryos in their mothers' womb, and will fall into
Gehinnom.' (ET. p. 107) In the Christian Scripture they are compared to 'whited
sepulchres, outwardly beautiful but full of uncleanness' (Mt. 23 : 27) and to 'tombs
which appear not' (Lk. 11: 44) and which defile all who come in contact with

them.

57. (by the holy Prophet and the Muslims).

58. (by propagating irrcligion and impiety).

59. So utterly wanting were they either in understanding or piety or both
that they rcvc>scd the true order of things, mistaking their vice for virtue, and
calling corruption by the name of righteousness.

//. Surnt-ul Baqarah ?>*

I <jyjj» J^L (^j^i -fig?4'j9>"Ji>* -- I

13. (^ ja l,j. . . usj |3i ) And when it is said to them: believe 80 as people
have believed, they say : shall we believe as the fools have believed ? 61 Surely
it is they who are the fools, and yet they know not.

14. (^^w. . .^jjJM^Mil ,) And when they meet those who have
believed they say :" we believe. And when they are alone with their devils 68 they
say : surely we are with you ; we were but mocking."

15. (^,,4^. . ,<jyj) Allah mocks back at them," and lets them wander
bewildered 6 " in their insolence.

16. ( j^j^. . .cjtfj J) These are they who have purchased error for
guidance 07 but their commerce profited them not. nor have they ever become
guided.

17. L w^S. . ,**UU) Their likeness 08 is as the likeness of him who
kindled a fire," 9 then when it lit up what was around him, 70 Allah took away their
light 71 and left them in darkness where they see not 72

18- (^}*^j. . .+*) Deaf, 7 * dumb 74 , blind, 76 wherefore they will not return
to fight.™

19. ( jjisjtj. . ,t_^, A *3$J) Or, 77 like a rain-laden cloud from heaven, 78
wherein are darkness, thunder and lightning. 79 They 80 put their fingers in their
ears because of the thunder-claps, fearful of death, 81 while Allah has encom-
passed the disbelievers. 82

60. i. e., come to believe in the truth of the true religion.

61. Another instance of the hypocrites' muddled thinking and queer morals.
First they mistook vice for virtue (vide verse 11) and now they are mistaking virtue
for vice. (Til)

62. (in order to win the goodwill of the influential and the well-to-do among
the believers).

63. t. e., their chiefs and leaders and their fellow-dissemblers. ..llaj^i >f not
preceded by the definite article || signifies, 'Any that is excessively, or inordinately,

14 Part I

proud or corrupt or unbelieving or rebellious, or that is insolent and audacious in
pride and in acts of rebellion.' (LL) \\ is here used in the sense of £*•

64. (at the Muslims; making a jest of them).

65. Or, 'shall requite them with punishment for mockery' (IQJ For the
Biblical use of mockery and laughter in reference to God, compare the following:—
'Ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. I also will
laugh at your calamity : I will mock when your fear cometh.' (Pr. 1 : 25-26) 'But
thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them ; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.'
(Ps. 59 : 8)

66. That is what the Divine mockery comes to. ^j- is to go repeatedly to
and fro, in confusion and perplexity, unable to see the right course. (LL) Cf. the
Bible : — 'They that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of
God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.' (Job. 4 : 8, 9)

67. (by their deliberate choice of the path of error, guilt and impiety).

68. i. e., the predicament in which the hypocrites really are.

69. i. <f., who lights the torch of truth and guidance. The allusion is to the
holy Prophet.

70. i. <?., when it had made every truth bright and clear.

71. (in consequence of their habitual dissimulation).

72. The simile is a mixed one. It was the holy Prophet who lighted the
torch of truth and guidance ; and it illuminated everything around. Then the
habitual offenders, the 'hypocrites.' in sheer perfidy, deprived themselves of their
sense of seeing, and therefore remained in darkness. (AQ,)

73. (to the call of religion).

74. i. t., incapable of uttering truth.

75. i. e., incapable of seeing the true and the good.

76. (to the Path).

77. The Madlna hypocrites were of two varieties. One class of them were
rejecters of faith outright and only managed to disguise their views and beliefs. The
parable in the vv. 17-18 refers to this class of dissemblers. The other group were
not so definite and positive in their rejection of the faith. They wavered, swinging
to and fro, like some of the modern 'sceptics'. They are the subject of the parable
in the vv. 19-20.

78. This alludes in the parable to the advent of Islam.

79. This alludes to the vicissitudes of early Islam, inevitable at the time.

80. i. «., the waverers.

81. This refers to the weakness of their heart, and to their 'safety first'
mentality.

82. (so that none are able to escape Him).

//. Sural- ul-Baqarah 1Jj *

rpJXIl _ eSZ. — .

!£i^><a$o4i m'4«&

20 - (h^- •'*&■£) Tne I'g^ning well-nigh snatches away their sight;
whensoever it flashes on them, they walk therein, 83 and when it becomes dark
they stand still. 84 And had Allah willed He would assuredly have taken away
their hearing and their sights. 88 Surely Allah is Potent 86 over everything.

SECTION 3

21. ( jtfj. . . m,UJ11*j1 L>) O mankind ! 87 worship your Lord who has
created you 88 and those before you, 89 haply you may become God-fearing.

22. (^au. • • JJ1) Who has made the earth for you 90 a carpet 91 and
the heaven 92 a canopy and sent down from heaven water 93 and brought forth
therewith fruits as a provision for you, 94 set not up compeers to Allah, while you
know 95

23. ( ,yjjs^. . .^\ ,) And if you are in doubt 86 concerning what We have
sent down 97 upon Our bondman 98 then bring a chapter like it 99 , and call upon
your witnesses, 100 besides Allah, if you are truthful.

24. ( Jy iXU. . . ,,Li) But if you do not, and you cannot 101 then dread
the Fire 101 whose fuel is men and stones, 103 prepared for the disbelievers. 104

83. i. e., attracted momentarily by the glory and lightning success of Islam,
the waverers advance a few steps towards it.

84. (in their place). So the trials and tribulations of the early days of
Islam scared them away.

85. (as He did in times of old). 'And when they came down to him:
Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness.
And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.' (2 Ki. 6: 18)

86. y$j ... and ^ may signify the same Possessing power, or ability . . .
JS 2 has an intensive signification/ and 'signifies he who does what he will,

according to what wisdom requires, not more nor less ; and therefore this epithet is
applied to none but God.' (LL)

87. The message of the Qur'an is addressed to the whole of mankind, not
to any section of it, conditioned by race, colour or country. The components of
this Message are a belief in the unity of God, and a belief in the messengership of

16 Part i

Muhammad (on him bo peace !). And these two grand and central truths are now
formally presented in this verse and the three succeeding verses. To believe in Him
and His unity the Holy Qur'an commands us as well as persuades us. In this verse
are elements both of command and persuasion happily blended.

88. (out of nothing, and not simply evolved you out of something pre-
existing). Nor has man, as claimed by pantheists, emanated from God. 'Creation'
negatives all other forms of production.

89. i. e., your remote ancestors; or other beings created before man. The
purport is: look at the history of the past. On reflection you will see for yourself
that He alone, your Sustainer and Creator, the Mighty, the Supreme, is worthy of
your worship ; and there is no chain of inferior gods or demi-gods, beside Him.

90. So it is man for whose benefit the earth is created and not vice versa.
The very idea of man bowing before an 'earth-god* is monstrous.

9'- fr\yi ' s > literally, a thing that is spread upon the ground, 'a thing that
is spread for one to sit or lie upon/ (LL) Whatever its exact form and figure, this
description of the earth, that it is for all living creatures a huge something to walk
upon, to stand upon, to sit upon, or to lie upon, is an ideal one, which we all can
admire, but none can improve upon.

92. ^ is, literally, 'the higher, or highest, or upper, or uppermost, part
of anything.' (LL) Essentially it is the upper part of the universe in contradiction
to the earth. The main idea underlying the word is that it is a thing above us, a
thing so immeasurably high above us that in the space in-between we can raise our
highest buildings, and raise our loftiest edifices: just as the main idea underlying
the word j>.) is that it is a thing beneath us — under our feet. The Bible makes
'heaven* the dwelling-place of God. 'The Lord is in bis holy temple, the Lord's
throne is in heaven.' (Ps. 1 1 : 4) 'The Lord looketh from heaven .. From the
place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.' (33: 13,
14). It is hardly necessary to add that Islam looks upon the idea of God occupying
a certain space as preposterous.

93. This does away with all conceptions of a 'sky-god' and a 'rain-god.'

94. The Quran, as alrc.idy noted, is in no sense a text-book of the ever-
changing physical sciences, and even incidentally makes no mention of astronomi-
cal and geographical facts as such. Various phenomena of nature, as they appear
to an average layman, clear of scientific bias one way or the other, it only brings in
to establish, strengthen and illustrate its central theme — the undivided and indivi-
sible Sovereignty of the Lord-God — and to uproot the divinity of all minor 'gods,'
such as corn-god, fruit-god, etc.

95. (intuitively, that He alone is capable of creating these objects and
effecting these changes). Everyone is endowed with this intuitive consciousness.

96. (as to its being from God and suppose it to be a human production).
Now begins the enunciation of the second part of the Islamic creed — the

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 17

messengership of the holy Prophet.

97. i. e., the holy Qur'an Jjyj is to send clown but f, -jj is much stronger,
and J!j must be translated as 'revealed.'"

98. i.e., the holy Prophet Muhammad (on him be peace !). Mark that
the greatest of messengers and apostles and the recipient of the highest honour
possible is but a servant, a slave, a 'bondsman of God/ having not the remotest
community of nature with Him. Not an Avatar, nor an Incarnation, nor a Son,
nor yet an actual embodiment of Godhead ; but a mere mortal, who would only
convey to his brother men a fuller knowledge of the Divine mind and will. In the
Bible also, the phrase 'servants of Yahwa, is honorific and not disparaging/
(EBi. c. 4398) Bondage to God really implies emancipation from all other servitudes.

99. (in the surpassing excellence of its contents, in the grandeur of its langu-
age and style, and most of all in the completeness and all-sufficiency of its teachings).
'This book, a strong living voice, is meant for oral recitation and should be heard
in the original to be appreciated. No small measure of its force lies in its rhyme
and rhetoric and in the cadence and sweep, which cannot be reproduced in transla-
tion without loss." (Hitti, op. cit., p. 127)

100. (who will testify as to your having successfully met the challenge).

101. Here is a most provoking challenge to the enemies of Islam, both
ancient and modern, that has remained unanswered all these fourteen centuries, and
is a unique standing miracle.

102. Cf. the Bible: — 'Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire ?
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ?' (Is. 33 : 14) 'Their worm
shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched.' (Is. 66:24) 'It is better for
them to enter into life, hall or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet
to be cast into everlasting fire . . It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye,
rather than having two eyes to be cast into Hell-fire.' (Mt. 18 : 8-9) 'It is better for
thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire
that never shall be quenched : where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quench-
ed.' (Mk. 9 : 43-44)

103. These stones, which the polytheists worshipped and of which they
carved idols and images, would be placed in the Hell alongside their worshippers
to increase their mental agony and torture. Polytheism has almost invariably
manifested itself in stone-worshipping, and 'sacred stones' are perhaps the commo-
nest type of idols. 'All the world over and at all periods of history, we find among
the most common objects of human worship certain blocks of stone.' (Allen, Evolu-
tion of Ike Idea of God, p. 40) 'The worship of holy stones is one of the oldest forms
of religion of which evidence has been preserved to us, and one of the most univer-
sal.' (EBi. c. 2979)

104. The Hell-fire is thus intended, primarily and mainly, for the infidels,
the outright rejectors of faith, and not for mere sinners.

18 Pan I

''^ gji

25. ( jAJla.. . tf A> .) And give thou 105 the glad tidings to those who
believe and do righteous work that surely for them shall be Gardens beneath
which rivers flow. Whenever they will be provided with fruit thererrom, 106 they
shall say : this is that with which we were provided before ; and they shal!
be given things consimilar, 107 and for them shall be therein spouses purified, 108
and therein they shall be abiders.

26. (^jLujJi. . . .)) Surely Allah is not ashamed to use a similitude, 109
be it of a gnat 110 or of aught above it. 111 Then as to those who believe, they know
that it is the truth from their Lord. 112 And as to those who disbelieve, they say :
what did Allah 113 intend by this similitude? Many He sends astray thereby 114 and
many He guides thereby, and He sends not astray thereby any except the trans-
gressors 115

27. (j.vnj-^- ■ ■ov'^) wno Dreal< tne covenant of Allah 110 after its
ratification 117 , and cut asunder what Allah has commanded to be joined 118 and
make mischief in the land. 110 It is they who are the losers. 120

105. (O Prophet!).

106. t. e., from the Gardens of Paradise.

107. i. e., fruits similar either to each other, or those of the earth. To add
to their enjoyment and entertainment, the blessed in the Paradise will be supplied
with fruits closely resembling in colour and appearance ot each other or those of thp
earlh, though of course infinitely superior. The passage may also well hint at the
close resemblance between the good works performed in this world and their spiri-
tual fruits or counterparts in the Hereafter.

108. SvJa^ \.'A are 'wives purified from the pollution of the menstrual
discharge and the other natural evacuations.' (LL) Human personality, once its
survival is admitted, survives in its totality, and not in part only. And if there is a
blessed, eternal life in the Paradise, it must be in its complete fulness. Without loss
or diminution of any of the intellectual, emotional, and volitional, even sensual
factors that enrich the earthly life, — excluding, of course, all taint of vice. Lack

//. SJJrat-ul-Baqarah 19

of conjugal love and happiness would surely be an impoverishment, not an enhance-
ment, of the life to come. Survival of human personality, if at all, must be in its
entirely, and not only in ils abstract, intellectual parts.

1 09. A LX-, in the Quranic sense is not an allegory, but a similitude, with
some moral or religious application.

1 10. This is said in answer to the objection of the pagans that the Qur'an
condescends to speak of such humble objects as the spider, the bee, and the fly. The
Qur'an answers, in effect, that there is nothing undignified in the mention of these
creatures of God, or of any creature still lower.

111. (in smallness, provided it serves the purpose of.illustration well).

1 12. (and also very much to the point). 'Fly' and 'spider' have been used
in the Qur'an to illustrate the utter incompetency and helplessness of idols and
'gods ;' and they serve, trheir purpose of illustration exceedingly well.

113. gjj\ is here uttered by pagans, hence its translation can also be 'God.'

114. I. e., by parables like these.

1 15. i. e., those who wish logo astray themselves. Disobedience and trans-
gression, when formed as habits, preclude the desire for knowledge, the search after
truth. •• tj is one who habitually goes forth, or departs, from the bounds of
obedience, or is a confirmed sinner or transgressor.

1 1G. (to obey Him and His messengers implicity). &. e is an injunction as
well as a compact.

117. (by themselves). This refers to the instinct of religion innate in every
human being.

I IB. By this are meant the duties and obligations imposed by God towards
Himself and towards one's parents, family, neighbours, community, country and
fellow-creatures in general.

119. This has reference both to moral corruption and material disorder; the
first, because they rejected the true faith and propagated their false principles of
irreligion and immorality; and the second, because they created disturbances and
feuds and caused wanton bloodshed.

120. (both immediately, by being bereft of peace of mind, and in the long
run, by being deprived of eternal bliss).

20 Part I

28. (^y«a.y. . .ui-J) How will you disbelieve in Allah whereas you were
lifeless 121 and He gave you life ; 122 thereafter He will cause you to die 123 then He
will give you life, 324 and then unto Him you shall be returned. 125

29. (^JLo . . JJly>) He it is Who created for you ,2,; all that is on the
earth, 127 then He turned to the heaven, 128 and formed them seven heavens. 129
And He is of everything the Knower. 130

SECTION 4

30. (,^jx<- . J>l .) And recall when 131 thy Lord said to the angels :" 2
surely I am going to place a vicegerent 131 on the earth 134 . They said : 135 wilt
Thou place therein one who will act corruptly therein and shed blood, 136 while we
hallow Thy praise and glorify Thee ? 137 Allah said : verily I Know what you do
not know. 138

31. (^aVj^. . .^u ) And He taught Adam 139 the names, 140 all of
them ; lu then He set them before the angels, 142 and said : declare to me the
names of those, if you are truthful. 143

32. (xjuisj]. . .]J\$) They said: hallowed be Thou ! no knowledge have
we save what Thou hast taught us 144 , surely Thou alone art the Knower, 145 the
Wise. 140

33. (kjyj^o. . .Jls) Allah said : Adam ! declare thou to them the
names 147 of those objects. Then when he had declared to them the names of
those objects, He said : did I not tell you, surely I know the hidden in the
heavens and the earth and know that which you disclose and what you have
been concealing ? 148

121. (in the loins of your fathers).

122. (in the wombs of your mothers),

123. (at the appointed time of your death).

124. (on nV Day of Resurrection).

125. (for final retribution).

//. Sural- ulBaqarah 21

126. i. e., for your use, for your benefit, O mankind !

127. However immense in size and huge in strength those objects may be,
man is the master of all. He is not to bow down before any of them. The very
idea of creature- worship is repellent.

128. Or, 'He directed Himself to the heaven.' -4 AM J| i| ,<j*SU.!*j is »>eta-
phorically said of God, meaning, 'Then He directed Himself by His will to the
heaven, or elevated regions, or upwards, or to the heavenly bodies/ (LL)

129. The Quran agrees in this respect with the Bible. 'The conception of
the heavens which pervades the OT and the NT ... is that of a series of seven
heavens.' (DB. II, p. 322)

130. (so He is fully cognisant of all human needs and requirements).

131. (before the creation of man).

132. (to give them an opportunity to express themselves). Angels are
super-terrestrial, incorporeal, real and objective beings, not personified qualities and
abstractions. They are faithful servants of God and His trusted messengers, and
as pure spirits absolutely sinless and incorruptible. They are, in Islam, as unmis-
takably distinct from 'gods'' as from men ; and Islam knows no such things as 'fallen
angels' or 'degraded gods'.

133. Mark that this vicegerent is a created being, and, as such entirely
and sharply marked off from God, the Creator. Mark again that the primary
purpose of man in this world '■• to act as the vicegerent of God, and to establish in
His name a complete and perfect theocracy.

134. (to execute, enforce and administer My laws therein). And il is for
this purpose of Divine vicegcrency that man is endowed with a full-developed will,
as distinct from instinct of his own.

135. Not by way of protest or complaint but out of excess of loyalty and
devotion, 'as the most devoted bondsmen who could hardly bear their Beloved
Master employ a new servant besides them, for any of His services.' (Th)

136. This the angels surmised from man's constitution. And this is endorsed
by the teaching of modern Psychology that man's primary instincts are predatory
and individualistic rather than social.

137. i. e., We extol the Holiness both of Thee and Thy Attributes, and
we are, by Thy grace, incapable of going wrong, while this new being, called man
may he presumed to go wrong sometimes, and the disobedient among his kind may
offend Thee, our Lord !

138. (of man's nature, and his capacities, and of his special aptitude for
Divine vicegcrency). A corrective angelolatry. Angels are not co-equal with God
in respect of knowledge even.

139. The first progenitor of the human race. lie was a prophet.

MO. (of all things, and infused into his heart the knowledge of their
properties).

22 Part I

141. i. e., the objects of which they were the names.

142. (in order to demonstrate man's supreme competency, in preference to
angels, for Divine vieegerency on the earth.

143. (and are right in supposing that you were equally competent to serve
as God's vicegerent on the earth).

144. Another death-blow to the doctrine of angelolalry. Angel6 far from
being omnipotent have only a very limited knowledge.

115. i, e., the Possessor of infinite knowledge, and knowing the capacity of
every one of Thy creatures.

M(i. i. e., the Possessor of iniinite wisdom, and endowing every one of Thy
creatures, man or angel, with as much of knowledge as fitted him and accorded with
his capacity.

147. (and properties).

140. This is an amplified restatement of v. 30: "Verily I know that which
ye know not ;*' and the address here is to all sentient creatures.

//, SQrat*u!-Baqart)h 23

3'1. ( ,u**di. • •*>!,) And reca " wJien We said to the angels : Ui prostrate
yourselves before Adam, 1 " they prostrated themselves, but not Iblls; 161 he
refused ua and was stiff-necked, and became one of the disbelievers. 1 **

35. (..jL+jji.i], . .ms *) Ancf We sard: Adam! dwell thou and thy
spouse 16 * in the Garden, end eat both of you plentifully thereof as you desire, but
do not approach, both of you, younder tree, 156 lest you become of the transgres-
sors.

36. ('„*£&.. ■ .U.J jli) Then the Satan 166 caused the twain to slip 167 there-
from 168 and drove forth the twain from what they were in. 15 * And We said : net
you 140 all down, each of you as enemy of each, 101 and on the earth w/'ff be an
abode for you and enjoyment 16 * for a time, 163

37. (aas^jJ. . . jjlaj) Then Adam learnt certain words 164 from his Lord,
and He relented towards Him 195 . Surely it is He Who is Relenting/ 60 Merciful."'

38- ( .jjiss.iT! . AUj) We said : get down all of you from here, 16 * and if
there comes to you guidance from Me, 1 " then whoso follows My guidance, no
fear 170 shall come on them, nor shall they grieve, 171

39- ( .ijivXi- . *.vJ<jJi •,) And those who disbelieve and belie Our signs,
they shall be inmates of the Fire ; therein they shall abide,* 7 *

149. (as also to all other creatures lower than the angels).

150. (by way of acknowledging him as God's vicegerent on the earth and
paying homage to htm as such).

151. Lji^t literally, is 'the disappointed one'. He was not an angel but a
jinn, as expressly mentioned in the Qur'an (S. Kakf, verse 50) 9) is not always
synonymous with 'except* or 'save/ but it also denotes, as here, 'but not.'

152. . (to bow down through conceit).

153. (for disobeying a clear Divine command I).

154. (who also had been created by this time).

155. Note that the tree remains nameless arid unspecified in the Qur'au.

156. (who on his banishment from the Paradise-Garden had by now become

24 p ar t I

a sworn enemy of Adam and his descendants). The root verb r n ,?. means, 'He
was, or became, remote or far, from the truth, and from the mercy of God'. (LL)

157. (by his cunning and by some clever stratagem, the nature of which
could not be perceived by Adam and his consort). Iblis, it is related in the tradi-
tions of the Prophet, went up to Adam and his consort in disguise and affecting his
true friendship and fidelity to them, offered to show them the way to the tree of
eternity, the fruit of which shall cause them never to separate from Allah's pre-
sence, — the very thing that they longed most — and swore to them by Allah that he
was their most faithful adviser. It was thus that they partook of the forbidden fruit.
There was none of wilful and deliberate disobedience on the part of Adam. He
was simply 'taken in.'

158. i. e., on account of the t'e. The pronoun \ mh in Lxc refers to the
tree and the preposition ^ is denotative of cause, signifying 'because of or 'on
account of,' An alternative rendering could be 'to slip therefrom/

159. This may mean either the happy state they were in, or the happy place
they were in — the Paradise.

160. (all). The number is plural, not dual : and the address is to the entire
progeny of Adam yet unborn.

161. This refers to the mutual enmity in which mankind live.

162. (of life). The words clx* and •£.£*».* both imply the ephemeral
nature of the earthy existence.

163. i. e., till the expiration of your terms of life; life on earth shall not
be eternal, but only for a short duration.

164. (of penitence). To inspire the guilty with words and expressions of
remorse and contrition is only a manifestation of Divine grace and mercy.

165. (and accepted his repentance).

166. The Prophet 'was never tired of telling the people how God was
Very-Forgiving, that His love for men was more tender than of the mother-bird for
her young.' (LSK. Intro, p. LXXX).

167. i. e., the possessor of much mercy, and exercising it very frequently.

168. (O mankind !) This is not by way of penalty, as the sin has been by
now forgiven. Incapacity to enjoy the blissfulness of Paradise was perhaps the
natural and inevitable result of eating the fruit of a particular tree; and physical
consequences are indelible even when all moral taint has been swept away. A would-
be suicide, for instance, if, after taking poison, sincerely regrets his act and repents,
his sin might well be fully condoned, yet no amount of contrition may undo the
deadly physical action of the poison.

169. (through prophets and Divine messengers). The change from the
plural 'We' and 'Our' expressive of Might and Majesty to the singular 'Me' and
'My' is noticeable. It is to signify the deep and intimate personal relationship of
Divine Grace, Mercy ajnd Tenderness with the believers.

//. SOrat-ul-Baqdrah 25

170. i. e., fearful event. Consciousness of an Infinite Power and of infinite
goodness behind the finite individual is in itself sufficient to instil in man a sense of
fearlessness and security.

171. (on the Day of Judgment)

172. (for ever). Cf. the OT : 'A fire goeth before him, and burnetii up his
enemies round about/ (Ps. 97:3). And the NT : 'Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall
go away into everlasting punishment/ (Ml. 25 : 41, 46) 'So shall it be at the end
of the world : the angels shall come forth,' and sever the wicked from among the
just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth/ — (13 : 49-50) ' . . . hell-fire, where their worm dieth not, and the
fire is not quenched/ (Mk. 9 : 48)

26 Part I

J J'J

SECTION 5

40. ( .^ajtj. . . j^j) O Children of IsrSIl 178 ! remember My favour
wherewith I favoured you, 17 * and fulfil My covenant 175 and I shall fulfil your
covenant, 176 and dread Me a/one. 1 "

41. {^sslj. . .]y^) .) And believe in what I have sent down 178 confirm-
ing what is with you, 179 and be not the first to disbelieve therein. 180 And barter
not My signs for a small price, 181 and fear Me a/one. ls *

42. ( LJ i**I*?. ■ .J^aaa-D' 5/ .) And confound not the truth with falsehood, 183
nor conceal the truth 184 while you know. 185

43. ( A,*5Ui. . .L^jjL) And establish prayer, 186 and give the poor-rate 187
and bow down 188 with those who bow. 189

44. (^jUjJ. . •uinyM)'^ y° u en J°' n mankind to piety 190 and forget
yourselves 191 while you read the Book 192 ? Do you not understand ?

45. ( <v ju^i»Jl. . Afk&CtdJ 5 ) And seek help in patience and prayer, 198 and
surely it 194 is hard save to the meek,

46. (/jiyufc.1). • -.v-j^'l) wno know 195 that surely they are going to meet
their Lord, and that surely to Him they are going to return. 198

SECTION 6

47. ( .UU.JWI. • . Mj) Children of IsrSIl : remember My favour with
which I favoured you, 197 and that surely I preferred you 198 above the worlds. 199

173. 'Children of Israel* is the national designation of the Jews. Israel was
the name borne by their ancestor, Jacob, the father of 'the twelve tribes,' a son of
Isaac, and a grandson of Abraham (on all of whom be peace !). This nation of
priests, patriarchs and prophets, perhaps the m(5£t remarkable people in ancient
history, blessed of their Lord, always great in the realm of religion and faith, and
mighty and glorious for long periods in the affairs of the world, had migrated in
their thousands, after the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans under Titus, into

II. Surat-uf-Baqarah 2?

Arabia, and had settled in and around Madina long before the advent of the holy

Prophet. The whole of the north-eastern Arabia was dotted over by their colonies,

and many of the Arab pagans, in the course of time, had come to adopt their ways

and their faith. In the third century of the Christian era an Arabian tribe, even

so remote as in the south of the Peninsula, was led to adopt the Jewish faith. As

proud possessors of the book and the Divine Law, and even more as adepts in crude

occult sciences and magical crafts, these Arab Jews were in early days of Islam, in

effect intellectually the dominating masters of the country. In matters religious and

divine they were the trusted advisers of the unlettered pagans and their acknowledged

superiors. Jewish legends, Jewish tenets and Jewish feats of exorcism were by now

popular knowledge throughout Arabia. The 'idolatry of Arabia/ to use the words

of Muir, had formed a compromise with Judaism, and had imbibed many of its

legends and perhaps many of its tenets. It was the Jews, again^ who had been long

predicting a new redeemer, and had been keenly looking for him. This helps to

explain the extent of attention they receive in the Qur'an, and the long series of

admonitions, warnings and exhortations addressed to them. In the domain of

religion they were always the foremost; in Arabia, contemporaneous with Islam,

their importance stood specially high.

174. 'And Jacob said unto Joseph: God Almighty appeared unto me at
Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me, Behold, I will make
thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people ; and
will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession/ (Ge. 48 : 3-4)

175. i. e., your covenant, with Me; the promise of obedience that ye made
to Me. 'If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be
a peculiar treasure unto me above all people ; for all the earth is mine. And ye shall
be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation/ (Ex. 19:5-6) 'Thou hast
avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep
his statutes, and his commandments, and judgments, and to hearken unto his voice'.
(Dt. 26: 17)

176. i. e., My covenant with you; the undertaking that I gave you. 'And
the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised
thee, and that thou shouldst keep all his commandments ; and to make thee high
above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour : and
that thou mayst be a holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken/ (Dt.
26: 18, 19) So the covenant was a bilateral one — with reciprocal obligations and.
undertakings, — the essential thing in the people's undertaking being that they would
always worship the one and only God, and the essential part of His undertaking
being that they would be His peculiar people. 'That Israel's character as the
chosen people is conditioned by obedience to God's commandments is stated in
the very words of the Sinai covenant.' (JE. IV, p. 45)

177. (regardless of frown or favour from fellow-creatures). Cf. the OT : —

28 Part I

'I will make them hoar my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that
they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.' (Dt. 4: 10)
'Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and
let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.' (Is. 8 : 12-13)

178. (now), i. c, the Holy Qur'an.

179. (already), i. e., the Torah.

180. (as the Arab idolaters would be only too prone to follow suit).

181. To reject truth for monetary considerations for the inducements of this
transitory, ephemeral world, is to barter eternal happiness and bliss at 'a small price.'
That the Jews had even in ancient times evinced a special weakness for the allure-
ments of the lucre, is borne out by the OT itself: — 'He is a merchant, the balances
of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.' (Ho. 12 : 7) Also Am. 8: 4-5.
Again, in the NT times, Paul and Peter both bring the same charge against the
Jews. 'There are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of
circumcision : whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching
things which the-y ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. ' (Ti. 1: 10-11) 'Arid many
follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil
spoken of. And through covctousness shall they with feigned words make merchan-
dise of you.' (2 Pe. 2: 2-3)

182. Cf. the OT : 'Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would
fear me.' (Dt. 5 : 29) 'And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of
thee, but to fear the Lord thy God.' (Dt. 10: 12) 'Serve ihe Lord with fear.'
(Ps. 2:11) 'Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear and let
him be your dread.' (Is. 8: 13)

183. (by perversing the text or by handling it deceitfully). Cf. 2 Co. 4: 2.
One such method common with Jews (as well as the Christians) was the method of
allegory. 'The Palestinian Jews allegorised the OT ... in order to satisfy their
conscience for the non-observance of laws that had become impracticable, or to
justify traditional and often trivial increment . . . or, generally for homilctical
purposes . . . the Hellenistic Jews . . . allegorised the OT to prove . . . that their
religion had the same rationale as Greek philosophy, and that Moses had been the
teacher, or, at all events, the anticipator, of Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, and the
Stoics.' (DB. I, p. 65) Compare JE. I, pp. 403-404.

184. (by suppressing it altogether).

185. All this manipulation of their Divine Texts by the Jews has been deli-
berate and with a set purpose, not as a matter of accident.

186. 'This would cure the mind of pride and conceit.' (Th) 'I will call
upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will
I pray, and cry aloud : and he shall hear my voice.' (Ps. 55: 16-17)

187. 'This would cure the mind of avarice and greed.' (Th) jj^ • literally,
purity and purification, in the language of the Islamic law means : the poor-rate ;

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 29

the portion, or amount, of property that is given therefrom as the due of God, by
its possessor to the poor in order that he may purify it thereby/ (LL) The payment
of this religious tax is obligatory, provided that the property is of a certain amount
and has been in possession for one lunar year. The tax varies according to the
nature and amount of the property; but generally it is one-fortieth thereof, or of its
value; i. e., 1\ per cent.

188. 'This would infuse and increase meekness of spirit.' (Th) 'O come, let
us worship and bow down : Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker/ (Ps. 95 : 6)
'The forms of divine worship in the Biblical epoch were prostration or falling on
one's face to the ground, placing one's head between one's knees, standing during
prayer or during a solemn proclamation . . . ' (VJE. p. 14)

189. i. e., with the Muslims in the congregational prayers. 'This ordered
service of divine worship is one of the most characteristic features of the religious life
of Muslim society and its impressive character has frequently been noted by travel-
lers and others in the East.* The late Bishop Lefroy thus commented upon it : 'No
one who comes in contact for the first time with the Mohammadans can fail to be
struck with this aspect of their faith . . . Wherever one may be, in open street, in
railway station, in the field, it is the most ordinary thing to see a man, without the
slightest touch of pharisaism or parade, quietly and humbly leave whatever pursuit
he may be at the moment engaged in, in order to say his prayer af the appointed
hour . . . The very regularity of the daily call to prayer as it rings out at earliest
dawn before light commences or amid all the noises and bustle of business hours or
again as evening closes in, is fraught with the same majesty.' (Arnold, Islamic Faith,
p. 29) 'As a disciplinary measure this congregational prayer must have had great
value for the proud, individualistic sons of the desert. It developed in them the
sense of social equality and the consciousness of solidarity. It promoted that brother-
hood of community of believers which the religion of Muhammad had theoretically
substituted for blood relationship The prayer ground thus became "the first drill
ground of Islam." ' (Hitti, op en., p. 132)

190. (and true religion). The Jews had borne testimony to the advent of
the holy Prophet before some of the Arab pagans.

191. (to practise that counsel, and to embrace Islam). This may also allude
to the actual life of impiety led by the Jews, with all their theoretical knowledge of
the Divine commandments. Their rabbis had gone so far as to teach, where merit
was concerned, that a counsellor of good deed was belter than its doer. 'He who
induces others to do a good deed, stands in the sight of heaven higher than the one
that does the deed.' (JE. I, p. 55)

192. (of Moses, wherein you find a clear reference to the advent of the holy
Prophet).

193. (to cure you of your greed for power and greed for wealth — the two
besetting springs of your conduct).

30 Par< '•

194. i. e., prayer as it is ordained in Islam.

195. (and meditate on the fact), ^ is not only 'he thought, opined, or
conjectured' but also he knew, by considering with endeavour In understand.' (LL)

196. It is this living belief in a future life which makes the greatest hardship
and sacrifice easy to the believers.

197. Cf. the OT: 'Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God: the
Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be special people unto himself, above all people
that are upon the face of the earth/ (Dt. 7 : 6) 'Only the Lord had a delight in
thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all
people as it is this day.' (Dt. 10: 15) 'ye are my witnesses, my servants whom I
have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he.'

(Is. 43: 10)

198. (as a people, as a race). Now what did this 'preference' of the
Israelites consist in ? Was it their commerce, their adventures, their martial glory,
dieir achievements in art, or their eminence in science ? Nothing of the sort.
Their singular glory and peculiar excellence, as a race, lay in their special mission—
their tenacious, pure and absolute MONOTHEISM— in fact the only living mono-
theism that the world knew before the advent of Islam. 'The Hebrews alone of all
Semitic people reached the stage of pure monotheism, through the teachings of their
prophets ... As long as a man refused allegiance to other gods, lie was looked upon
as a Jew : whoever denies the existence of other gods is called a Jew. The unity of
Cod was a revealed truth for the Jew, there was no need of proofs to establish it ; it
was the leading tenet of the faith.' (JE. VIII. pp. 659, 661)

199. (that you may deliver God's message, and proclaim His unity). 'Upon
Israel specially devolved the duty of proclaiming God's unity . . . "The eternal is
Israel's portion" demonstrates Israel's duty in the share to proclaim God's unity
and imperishability over against the sun-, moon-, and star-worship of the heathen.'
(JE. VI. p. 5) 'Judaism is above all the religion of pure monotheism, the procla-
mation, propagation, and preservation of which have been the life-purpose and task
of the Jewish people/ (VII, p. 359).

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 31

si*«>r

3Cfi

48. (^ )r <ii : ,. . j^iii 5 ) And fear a Day when not in aught will a soul 200
sntisfy for another soul 201 nor will intercession profit it, 202 nor will any compen-
sation be accepted therefor, nor will they be helped. 203

49. (ptj&fi, . .6] ,) And recall when We delivered you 204 from the house
of Fir'awn 206 imposing upon you evil chastisement, 200 slaughtering your sons, 207
and sparing your women, 208 and in that was a mighty trial 20 " from your Lord.

50. (^jjtoJtf . .M 3 ) And recall when We separated for you 210 the sea, 2 "
and delivered you, 212 and drowned Fir'awns' house, 213 while you looked on. 214

51. (^Jll*. . .6) ,) And recall when We treated with Musa 215 forty
nights, 216 then you betook the calf 217 after him, 218 and you were transgressors. 219

52. (^jjifcw. . .**) Then We forgave you 220 thereafter, that haply you
may return thanks. 221

5 ^" (isfj^V' ' •*' )) ^ n ^ reca H wnen We gave to Musa the Book and the
distinction 222 that haply you may be rightly guided.

200. (whether of an ancestor or of a descendant).

201. This is to repudiate the Rabbinical doctrine that 'grace is to be given
to some because of the merits of their ancestors, to others because of the merits of
their descendants/ (JE. VJ. p. 61)

202. (by any angel or prophet). 'The patriarchs in heaven were believed
to be intercessors for the living . . . Angels were often invoked by certain (Gnostic ?)
classes of Jews. Especially was Michael invoked as intercessor for the Jewish
people/ (JE. VIII. p. 408)

203. (In any way on the Judgment-Day). The reminder was all the more
needed as the Jews had grown completely indifferent to the Hereafter and heedless
of their personal responsibility.

204. The deliverance might not have come all at once, but possibly in slow
stages as the form of verb U^su suggests, the final stage being the drowning of the
Pharaoh's army. Detachments from the main body might have left Egypt from

32 Part I

time to time, and settled and multiplied at Hebron, round the tombs of the patri-
archos.' (DB. III. p. 820)

205. Fir'awn, or its Biblical equivalent, Pharaoh, is the Hebraised title of
the ancient kings of Egypt, like the 'Tsar' of Russia, the 'Sultan' of Turkey, or the
'Khedive' of modern Egypt. The Pharaoh spoken of here, the one contempora-
neous with Moses (peace be on him !) was, till recently, believed to be RaittOSeS II,
in the 13th century B. C, or Merenptah, or both. 'Rameses II of the 19th
dynasty is generally accounted as the Pharaoh of the Oppression, and his son and
successor, Merenptah is considered to be the Pharaoh of the Exodus . . . The
Oppression evidently lasted many years. Rameses II reigned 67 years, and thus the
Exodus may have taken place in the short reign of Merenptah, the son and successor
of that aged king.' (DB. III. p. 820) Also JE. IX. p. 660. Fresh archaeological
evidence, however, identifies the Pharaoh of Oppression with Thotmas III and the
Pharaoh of the Exodus with Amenhatap II, and postulates the cjate of the Exodus
as falling between 1447 B. C. and 1417 B. C. ... The Exodus must, therefore, have
taken place after Thotmas Ill's death in 1447 B. C, and during the reign of
Amenhatap II.' (Marston, The Bible is True, p. 171)

206. Cf the OT : 'Now there arose up a new king over Egypt . . . And he
said unto his people : Behold, the people of the Children of Israel arc more and
mightier than we : Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply . . .
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens . . .
And the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with rigour; and they made
their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of
service in the field ; all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.'
(Ex. 1 : 8-14)

207. 'And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives . . . And he said :
When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the
stools, if it be a son, then you shall kill him, but if it be a daughter, then she shall
live . . . And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying : Every son that is born ye shall
cast into river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.' (Ex. I. 15 : 22)

208. 'Probably to fill in time the harems of their oppressors.' (Milman,
History of the Jews, I. p. 77)

209. (for you). 'This was a severe affliction indeed.' (Ant. II. 9:2).

210. Or on account of you. 'Whatever may have been the exact cause of
this event ... its historical certainty its well established.' (Ewald, History of Israel,
p, 498) 'There are . . . the strongest grounds for regarding the narrative as historical
in outline, though details cannot always be trusted.' (EBr. VIII. p. 972)

211. Cleavage of water, though in this instance an act of direct Divine
intervention, is not after all so singular a breach of 'the laws of nature' as it may at
first sight appear. Action of earthquake on the sea can be easily productive of a like
result. A similar phenomenon, though of course on a much smaller scale, was

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 33

observed in India as recently as on the 15th January, 1934 when in the city of
Patna, in broad daylight, at a few minutes past 2 p. m., the sudden disappearance
and equally sudden re-emergence of the great river Ganges was witnessed by many,
and the occurrence was well reported in the daily press of India. A respectable
eye-witness's account is here reproduced : — ' . . . Suddenly, the sound changed from
a dull roar and became more shrill ; from the river there came a hissing noise and
the waters of the Ganges subsided as if by magic into the sand. This happened in
a few seconds, and the bed of (he river was left dry where a minute before the stream
had been swiftly flowing. The effect of this was most terrifying. It seemed to one
that the end of the world had come and many people attempted to get up from
where they lay, only to be thrown down again . . . The scene on the river was
frightful. Opposite where I stood, there had been an island of sand in the middle
of the stream, with a narrow passage of water on the near side and a broader stream,
on which steamers and boats plied, on the far side. The island had become joined to
the mainland. On what had been the broad passage, several boats and river
steamers were stranded. The occupants rocked to and fro as the sand beneath them
vibrated. On what had been the narrow passage a number of bathers were left half-
sucked into the sand by the force of the receding water. They struggled to get free
and escape. For the space of several minutes (I estimate that the shock lasted for
five minutes), the river-bed remained dry. Then as suddenly as it had vanished,
before my eyes the Ganges appeared again, but this time it spouted up from the
sand with considerable force. Great cracks and fissures, some as long as fifty feet
and several feet wide, appeared at irregular distances and from them columns of
water shot up to the height of a man with loud bursting noise ... In a few seconds,
the level of the river had risen again and it spread from bank to bank. The Ganges
had resumed its interrupted flow and its waters swept on as if nothing had ever
happened. Every boat was capsized and it was only by a miracle that no lives were
lost in my presence.' (The Pioneer, Lucknow, 20lh January, 1934)

212. This refers to the final act of deliverance which was by now complete.
'And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea ; and the Lord caused the sea to go
back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land, and the waters
were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon a dry
ground.. ..The Children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea . . .
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians.' (Ex.14 : 21-30)

213. 'And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the
sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen . . . And Moses
stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea. returned to its strength when the
morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled against it ; and the Lord overthrew the
Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots,
and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into sea after them ; there
remained not so much as one of them.' (Ex. 14 : 23-28) The following 'rationalistic'

34 Part I

account of the whole episode by a Christian authority is interesting : 'Both the
routes which lead across the narrow isthmus between the marshes of the eastern branch
of the Nile and the northern extremity of the Red Sea into the wilderness were
blocked by walls and defensive works. Accordingly, when the Israelites had reached
the vicinity of Pithon — at that time the present gulf of Suez stretched so far inland —
an Egyptian army suddenly presented itself in their rear. Escape seemed impossible :
thf: wall and the water cut them off. The men despaired of deliverance. Mosses
alone did not flinch. He led Israel right up to the shore of the Gulf, the waters of
which were being driven back by a strong east wind. Taking this natural phenome-
non, perhaps already familiar to him, as a favourable token from Yahwa, he caused
the forward march to be continued during the night over the sea-bed that had been
left dry, and the eastern shore was safely reached. The pursuing Egyptians were
embarrassed by their war chariots, and in the morning the waters began to return to
their natural state and cut the enemy off/ (EBi. c. 2220)

214. 'And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.' (Ex. 14:30)

215. Moses of the Bible, one of the greatest prophets recognised by Islam.
According to Sir Charles Marston's calculations, born in or about 1520 B. C. and
died in or about 1400 B.C. Age, according to the Bible, 120 years. (Dt. 34:7)

216. 'And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. 5 (Ex. 24:
18). 'And he was then with the Lord forty days and forty nights/ (34 : 28)

217. (for worship). The Israelites in their impatience during the temporary
absence of Moses (peace be on him !) had taken to the image-worship of a golden
calf. The Bible narrates the story of calf-worship by the Israelites in great detail
(Ex. 32 : 1-8) The Qur'an is in substantial agreement with it, except in one very
important particular, where the Bible makes the prophet Aaron — him of all the
people! — responsible for this act of outrageous impiety.

218. i. e., after he had departed to the mount to receive the Torah.

219. 'We may conjecture that the bull-cult itself was a native Canaanite
form of Baal religion, adopted by Israel with the change of the name of the deity
revered/ (E. Br. IV. p. 503). Or the calf may have been an emblem of the
moon-good, which, in the Assyrian inscription, is styled "the youthful and mighty
bull" and the Lord of the heavenly hosts . . . The ancient Hebrews, being nomads,
like the Arabs, favoured the moon/ ( JE. XI. p. 528).

220. (on your showing contrition for this act of gross idolatry, remitted the
punishment you merited).

221. (and become obedient).

222. Or, 'the criterion/ »Ukj is originally 'anything that makes a separa-
tion, or distinction, between truth and falsity/ It also means 'proof, evidence, or
demonstration/ (LL) So here it may refer either to the oral teaching of the prophet
Moses, which separated the right from the wrong, or to the 'signs' and 'wonders'
vouchsafed to him.

It Surat-ul-Baqarah 35

54. (j^^xJ'l. . >t >| ) And recall when Musa said to his people : my
people ! surely you have wronged yourselves by your taking the calf tor worship ;
so now turn to your Maker 223 and slay one another. 2 " That will be right for you
with your Maker. 225 Then He relented towards you. Surely it is He who is
Relenting, Merciful.

55. ( jijj. . ,&\ \ And recall when you 226 said : Musa I we will not
believe in you 227 till we see God openly. Thereupon a thunderbolt took hold of
you, 228 while you looked on.

56. ( ,y&ij. . .J) Then We raised you after your death, 229 that haply

you 230 may return thanks.

57. ( ...Jjaj. . ,U_LUa ,) And We overshadowed you with cloud, 231 and
We sent down upon you manna 832 and quails : 233 eat of the good things where-
with We have provided you. 234 And they wronged not Us, but themselves they
were wont to wrong. 236

$8. (^jUsaJl. . .jj.) And recall when We said 230 enter this township 237
and eat plentifully of it as you will, 838 and enter the gate 239 prostrating, 240 and say :
forgiveness ; 241 We shall forgive you your transgressions, and We shall give
increase to the well-doers. 242

59, (..^aj. . .Jii^j) Then the evil-doers changed the word 843 that had
been told them for another ; 244 so We sent down upon the evil-doers a scourge
from heaven, 245 for they were wont to transgress. 240

223. (Whom you have so wantonly offended by your act of gross idolatry).
j|j applied to God, means 'The Creator; He who hath created the tilings that

are created, not after any similitude or model ... or the Framer, or Fashioner. (LL)

224. i. e., let the innocent slay the guilty among you. 'And slay every man
his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the
children of Levi did according to the word of Moses ; and there fell of the people that
day about three thousand men/ (Ex. 32:27-28). This is recorded as a fact of

history. There is no question here of 'mortification of souls/ or of 'a metaphorical
use of the verb . L&S- There are certain crimes like murder, rape, etc., in every
code of law known to the world, which cannot go unpunished, howsoever deep and
genuine the penitence of the guilty. Image worship in the Mosaic law must have
been classed among such grievous sins. In fact we read : 'If there be found among
you . . . man or woman . . . that hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped
them, . . . then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, ... and shall stone
them with stones till they die.' (Dt. 17 : 2-5).

225. i. e., in the sight of your Lord.

226. i. e., seventy of your elders, whom Moses had taken with him to the
Mt. Sinai.

227. i. e., in thy assertion that the voice calling on thee is really God's.

228. (for this impertinent demand).

229. The seventy persons spoken of above were struck dead by lightning, and
on Moses's intercession restored to life.

230. (as a community).

231. (when you were wandering in the wilderness). 'And the Lord went
before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way : and by night in a
pillar of fire, to give them light : to go by day and night' (Ex. 13 : 22) 'The
Israelites were surrounded with clouds for protection.' And "the Haggadah . . .
mentions not one, but seven 'clouds of glory' as having accompanied Israel on its
march through the desert . . . Those 'clouds of glory' prevented the garments of the
Israelites from becoming soiled or worn during the forty years in the wilderness . . .
Those clouds receded from the Israelites when they had committed sins . . . and thus
failed to protect them." (JE. IV. p. 123)

232. A kind of dew ; a sweetish liquid. 'It is a desperate rebellion against
evidence to try to identify the miraculous Manna of the Exodus with the natural
exudates. The daily consumption of Manna as computed by Macalister, was more
than 300 tons; as he rightly declares, "All the Tmarisks in the desert could not
have yielded this daily provision." This natural exudate is only found during two
months of autumn/ (CD. p. 590)

233. 'And it came to pass, that at even quails came up, and covered the
camp ; and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.' (Ex. 16 ; 13) The
quail is 'well known in the Sinaitic Peninsula, where it passes, migrating northward
in spring, in immense flights . . . Even these flocks are said to be surpassed in numbers
by the autumn flight when they return south to their winter quarters. The quail
flies very low . . . ; it is soon fatigued, and hence falls an easy prey to man. 160,000
have been captured in a season at Gapai.' (EBi. c. 3989) 'Qua'ils pass over the
Sinaitic Peninsula in vast numbers migrating northward in spring and returning
southward in the autumn.' (JE. X. p. 285) 'A sea- wind would bring them in
immense numbers into the camp which the Israelites occupied at that time. The

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 37

miracle consisted in their being directed to the right time and place.' (DB. IV.
p. 179)

234. (for food in the desert, but do not store them up). 'And Moses said,
let no man leave of it till the morning.' (Ex. 16 : 19) \

235. (by storing up their daily supply of food against the express command
of God N ,. 'Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left
of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank ; and Moses was wroth with
them/ (Ex. 16:20)

236. The reference now is to the Hebrew history of a later period.

237. This may refer either to the town of Jericho (Eriha) in Palestine
which the Hebrews captured and occupied many years later under the command of
Joshua ; or to the town of Shittim, — one of the limits of the camping ground of
Israel in the plains of Moab.

238. This suggests that it must have been a city of plenty.

239. i. e., the outer gate of the city.

240. Or, 'doing obeisance/ Anyway, the command was to maintain
meekness and humility in the hour of triumph.

241. —to suit you words to your posture. £taft. literally means 'A petition
for the putting down of a heavy burden from one; or of the heavy burden of sin
They were told to say ^^ for the purpose of asking thereby for the putting down
of their heavy burdens from them, that they should be put down from them.' (LL)

242. (favours and rewards), The Bible omits to mention all these significant
and important moral aspects of the narrative.

243. (of humility and devotion).

244. (of ridicule and insolence).

245. i. e., a plague, if the reference is to the town of Shittim. 'And those
that died in the plague were twenty and four thousands.' (Nu. 25 : 9)

246. (and continued to be ungodly and defiant). The Divine punishment
visits only the confirmed criminals and persistent law-breakers.

38 Part '

r -'<£(

SECTION 7

60. L*jd«du ■ • *M 5 ) And raca// when Musa" prayed for drink for his
people. 247 . So" We said : smite 248 with thy staff the rock. 249 Then there gushed
forth out of it 250 twelve springs ; 2S1 every people 2 already knew their drinking-
place ; eat and drink of the provision of Allah, ? make not mischief on the earth
as corrupters.

61 •* ( »»&**- • • -|»~U J*) ) And reCi1 wnen y° u said : ° MGs5 ' we wi!l
not bear patiently with one sort of food, 253 so supplicate your Lord for us that He
bring forth for us of what the earth grows 254 of its vegetables, and its cucum-
bers, its wheat, 265 its lentils and its onions. 256 Musa* 57 said : would you take
in exchange what is meaner for what is better ? Get ye down into a city, 25 * as
there is surely in it what you ask for. 259 And stuck upon them 260 were abase-
ment- 01 and poverty. 202 And they drew on themselves- 63 wrath from Allah. 264
This, 265 because they were ever disbelieving 206 in the signs of Allah 267 and slay-
ing 208 the prophets 269 unjustly. 270 This, because they disobeyed 271 and were ever
transgressing. 272

247. (who had become impatient with thirst in the desert). At Rephidim,
'And there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide
with Moses, and said : Give us water that we may drink . . . And Moses cried unto
the Lord.' (Ex. 17: 1-4) According to another account, also Biblical, the place
where this occurred was not Rephidim but Kadesh. 'And the people abode in
Kadesh . . . And there was no water for the congregation . . . And the people chode
with Moses, and spake. ' (Nu. 20 : 1-3)

248. The only correct rendering of ^yj, is 'smite' or 'strike.' The root
verb _j_ never signifies 'to seek a way' or 'to go forth,' unless followed by a very
distinct preposition J as misinterpreted by an English translator of the holy

Qur'an.

249. Uac is always a 'staff' or a 'rod/ and not a 'community' unless used
metaphorically, as misinterpreted by the translator referred to in the last note. Cf.

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 39

the Bible : 'Behold : I will stand before thee there on the rock, in Horeb, and thou
shall smite the rock, and then shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel/ (Ex. 17:6) 'And Moses
lifted up his hand, and with his rod, he smote the rock twice : and the water came
out abundantly, and the congregation drank. 5 (Nu. 20: 11) This wonderful rock,
real, not 'fictitious/ exists even to this day. It stands 'from 10 to 15 ft. high, in the
wide valley of the Leja, under the Ras of Sufsafeh, slightly leaning forwards...
intersected by wide slits or cracks, which might, by omitting or including those of
less distinctness, be enlarged or diminished to any number between ten and twenty. . .
Its first unquestionable appearance is in the reference made more than once in the
Koran to the rock with the twelve mouths for the twelve tribes of Israel, evidently
alluding to the various cracks in the stone, as now seen/ (Stanley, Sinai and
Palestine, pp. 36-37)

250. The gushing forth of a stream or a rivulet from a rock, though in this
instance an act of direct Divine intervention, is not a phenomenon very much
removed from everyday experience.

251. (according to the number of the tribes of Israel). 'One who went into
those parts in the end of the fifteenth century tells us expressly that the water issued
from twelve places of the rock. (Sale) And 'a later curious traveller observes that
there are twenty-four holes in the stone, which may be easily counted, that is to say,
twelve on the fiat side, and as many on the opposite round side/ (Sale)

252. i. e., each of the twelve tribes.

253. t. e., the Manna and the quails, which they used to get daily without
any great exertion on their part.

254. 'Vegetable food, and chiefly grain, occupied the first place in the diet
of the Israelites/ (JE. V. p. 430) 'The ancient Israelites lived on vegetable food
and fruit/ (p. 596)

255. Or, 'garlic/ the word . j meaning both.

256. 'And the Children of Israel also wept again, and said : Who shall give
us flesh to eat ? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely,
and the c ucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and
the garlic. But now our soul is dried away : there is nothing at all, beside this
Manna, before our eyes/ (Nu. 11 : 4-6)

257. The pronoun may refer either to Moses or to God ; preferably it refers
to the former.

258. This was said when the Israelites refused to recede from their demand.
The use of the word \^a\ 'get down' or 'descend' in connection with entry into a
city may hint at the small esteem in which the artificial 'civilised' city-life is held in
Islam. \ya^ with ,>j}Jtf 1S unquestionably a common noun and means 'a city.' And
it is amazing to find Sale, Rodwell, Palmer and even Bell, all treating it as a proper
noun and translating it by 'Egypt' or 'the country of Egypt.'

40 Part I

259. It is in cities alone — the usual centres of luxury and opulence — that
fresh fruits and green vegetables can be had at any time of the year. The desert of
Sinai was not at all synonymous with a sandy waste absolutely without population
and pasturage. 'In certain districts there might be towns and cities occupied by
nomads/ (DB. IV. p. 917) It is quite a mistake to picture to oneself the Sinaitic
ppninsula as having then been under the same conditions as prevail to-day. We
already know enough to justify us in affirming that these parts in ancient times were
not wholly given up to nomads, and that the country possessed ordered institutions
and seats of advanced civilisation/ (EBi. c. 4633)

260. (like marks or dies, as their permanent national characteristics).
)l 1 i3AJl i£ ir j.IaJli_jyJ) i s 'he stuck or applied the mud upon the wall as a plaster/
(LL) Note that the pronoun 'them' refers to the race of Israel rather than to the
Jews as a religious boc'y. Even in the present-day anti-Semitric agitation, 'the
Jews are not opposed on account of their religion, but on account of their racial
characteristics. As such are mentioned : greed, a special aptitude for money-making,
aversion to hard work, clannishness and obstrusivencss, lack of social tact, and
especially of patriotism. Finally, the term is used to justify resentment for every
crime or objectionable act committed by any individual Jew/ (J. E. I. p. 641)

261. Which feature has clung to Israel to this very day. Horrors of Jewish
history, whether of remote past or of recent present, are well known, lamented by
friends and gloated over by foes, but recognised and admitted by all. In the words
of a Christian historian, 'for ages the Hebrew history has been the same everywhere
substantially — a constant moan, as it were, with variations indeed, but seldom a note
in which we miss the quality of agony/ And a leading Jew of to-day is said to
have exclaimed : — 'if there are gradations in suffering, Israel has reached its highest
acme/ Certainly, there is no history so full of mournful pathos as theirs. And it is
instructive, if also pathetic, to note that in the years 1938-39 with all the wealth and
commerce and 'influence 5 at their command, there arc incessant references in their
press to their 'frightful persecution' and 'the beatings, the murders, the torture, the
robbing, the blackmailing, the arrests and imprisonments' and 'humiliations, both
public and private' that arc being perpetrated on them in several parts of 'civilized'
Europe. Nor is this persecution religious ; it is pre-eminently racial and no escape is
possible even after the change of faith. For we are distinctly told : — "Neither
baptised Jews nor even Christian children or grand-children of baptised Jews are
immune from the raging scourge/' (Cohen, Jews in Germany, p. 2) And in another
pamphlet of the same name, but by a different author, reprinted from the Manchester
Guardian, dated January 23, 1934, we read : 'Many Jews in Germany abandoned
their Jewish traditions, faith and usages, and became entirely "German," but as
the official test of Judaism now is not religious but racial, and as even those who
have a Jewish grand-parent are considered Jews, they do not escape persecution by
having been baptised or having become "German" in outlook. Those Jews who

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 41

tried to "Germanise" themselves (some even demonstratively repudiating their
Judaism) are hit terribly hard, and many have committed suicide/

262. Witness their modern condition: 'Jews in the general mass are poorer
than their fellow citizens, though a few exceptional persons have acquired great
wealth. Taken as a whole, Jews are poorer than any European people/ (JE. I.
p. 621) 'Although the riches of the Jew have passed into a proverb, all social
observers are agreed that the Jews have a larger proportion of poor than any of the
European nations among whom they dwell/ (X. p. 151)

263. 'The primary significance of jff^ is said to be . j or adhesion ; and in
this sense ^ ^ is synonymous with <o,;xj|/ (LL)

264. In the words of a modern writer sympathetic to the Jews : 'The history
of Jewry is the history of human struggles. For more than two thousand years the
Jewish people have incessantly struggled for social justice and self-preservation'.

265. i. e., all this untold misery and incalculable suffering. 'Statistics,
wherever obtainable, show that the proportion of blindness is greater among modern
Jews than among their non-Jewish neighbours . . . Trachoma, glaucoma, and various
diseases of the cornea, and of the uveal tract are found among the Jews in a greater
proportion than among non-Jews/ (JE. III. pp. 249, 250) 'As with blindness,
Jews . . . have shown a marked tendency toward deaf-mutism — in the general propor-
tion, as compared with non-Jews, of two to one/ (IV. p. 480) 'Among the Jews
the proportion of insane has been observed to be very large. From statistics
collected by Kushan, he concludes that they are four to six times more liable to
mental disease than are non-Jews/ (VI. p. 603) 'The Jews are more subject to
diseases of the nervous system than the other races and peoples among which they
dwell. Hysteria and neurasthenia appear to be most frequent. Some physicians of
large experience among Jews have even gone so far as to state that most of them
are neurasthenic and hysterical. Toblcr claims that all the Jewish women in
Palestine are hysterical ; and Raymond says that in Warsaw (Poland) hysteria
is very frequently met with among both Jewish men and Jewish women.
The Jewish population of that city alone is almost exclusively inexhaustible
source for the supply of hysterical males for the clinics of the whole continent/
(IX. p. 225)

266. The words in the Qur'an ^ ?J iXj I J£ can only be rendered 'were ever-
disbelieving* or 'were wont to disbelieve/ and not mere 'disbelieved' or 'disobeyed'
which suggests a single act of disobedience or sin. The Qur'an emphasises the point
that the Israelites were visited by these penalties after they had become confirmed
law-breakers, and had been unrepentant in their attitude of denial and defiance.
They were a consecrated race undoubtedly, but then their 'election' rested on some-
thing more substantial and stable than mere high lineage, — it rested on their faithful
observance of Divine Law.

267. The Bible abounds in doleful narratives of their rebellion and revolt.

42 Part I

To give only a few such extracts out of many : —

'Remember and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath
in the wilderness ; from the day thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye
came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horcb ye
provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed
you. When I was gone up in the Mount to receive the tablets of stone ... the Lord
said unto me : . . . thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have
corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I
commanded them ; they have made them a molten image. Furthermore the Lord
spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked
people. Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under
heaven/ (Dt. 9:7-13) 'Ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, your
God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice. Ye have been rebellious
against the Lord from the day that I knew you.' (23-24) 'I know thy rebellion, and
thy stiff-neck ; behold, while lam yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious
against the Lord ; and how much more after my death ? ... I know that after my
death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have
commanded you ; and evil will befall you in the latter days ; because ye will do evil in
the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.'
(31:27-29)

268. (as also attempting to slay).

269. (of their own race such as Isaiah, Zachariah and John the Baptist).
'They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his
prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no
remedy.' (2 Gil. 36 : 16) 'Wherefore, will ye plead with me ? Ye have all transgressed
against me, saith the Lord . . . Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a
destroying lion/ ( Je. 2 : 29-30) 'They were disobedient and rebelled against thee, and
cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets.' (Ne. 9 : 26). ' ... Ye are the
children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your
fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of
hell ? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and
some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your
synagogues and persecute them from city to city : that upon you may come all the
righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood
of Zachariah, son of Barechiah, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
(Mt. 23: 31-36) 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killcst the prophets, and stoncst
them which are sent unto thee.' (Mt. 23 : 37 ; Lk. 13 : 34)

270. i. e., wrongful and unjust not only in the sight of God, as the murder
of a prophet in any instance is bound to be, but wrongful, unjust and illegal, even
according to Israel's own code of law and justice. To take the instance of Jesus :
He 'was not condemned, but he was slain. His martyrdom was no miscarriage of

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 43

justice, it was a murder/ (Rosadi, Trial of Jesus, p. 301) 'In this trial was a
violence done to the forms and rules of Hebrew as well as to the principles of
justice/ (Innes, Trial of Jesus Christ, p. 35) 'Such a process had neither the
form nor the fairness of a judicial trial/ (p. 59)

271. For the uniformly rebellious attitude of Israel towards their greatest
leader and benefactor, Prophet Moses, compare and consult their national historian
Josephus: 'They were very angry at their conductor Moses and were zealous in
their attempt to stone him as the direct occasion of their present miseries.'' ("Ant/*
III. 1:3) ' . . . the multitude were irritated and bitterly set against him/ (1 : 4)
'They again turned their anger against Moses, but he at first avoided the fury of
the multitude . . . / (1:7) 'The multitude began again to be mutinous and to
blame Moses for the misfortunes they had suffered in their travels/ (13 : 1) 'The
multitude therefore became still more unruly and more mutinous against Moses
than before/ And Moses 'was basely abused by them/ (13: 1) 'They again
blamed . Moses and made a clamour against him and his brother Aaron . . .
They passed that night very ill and with contumacious language against them:
but in the morning they ran to a congregation intending to stone Moses and Aaron,
and so to return to Egypt.' (14: 3) '... notwithstanding the indignities they had offered
to their legislator and his laws and their disobedience to the commandments which
He had sen* them by Moses/ (IV. 2:1) 'When forty years were completed,
Moses gathered the congregation together near Jordan .', . and all the people being
come together, he spoke thus to them : . . . "you know that I have been oftener in
danger of death from you than from our enemies." (8 : 1-2)

272. (the bounds of the law). The habitual corruption, crookedness and
insolence of Israel is again emphasised by the form of the word ,i£*j! •■»(£• Witness
their own admissions. 'Frequently, too, the Israelites confounded the worship of
YHWH with the worship of Baal/ (JE. VIII. p. 659) 'The cults of other deities
were deeply rooted in the heart of Israelitish people and they do not appear to have
been thoroughly suppressed until after the return from the Babylonian exile/
(XII. p. 568) 'Through mysticism and magic many polytheistic ideas and customs
again found their way among the people/ (p. 569)

44 Part I

a^tf 6s4© jte^ jfotf #5 $ ^^t-Sisis^^*^^ €5i 5s —

SECTION 8

62. (^jy^j. . vvj<SJ] hO Sure, y tnose wn0 believe 87 * and/those who
are Judaised* 74 and Christians 276 and the Sabaeans, 278 whoso believes 277 in Allah

and the Last Day and works righteously 278 their 279 wage is with their Lord; 280

and no fear 281 shall come on them nor shall they grieve. 282

63. (^fixs. . .&} ,) And recall when We took your bond 288 and raised
over you the Tur 284 saying : hold fast to what We have given you, 288 and remem-
ber what is therein, haply 286 you may become God-fearing.

64. ( t yjy M ^j] m . .J) Then you turned away thereafter, 287 so had not the
grace of Allah and His mercy 288 been upon you, you had been of the losers.

65. (^JU,U». . .ijJU.) And assuredly you know of those of you" 88 who
trespassed 290 in the matter of the Sabbath, 291 and We said to them : be you apes
despised. 292

66. ( ,^°>v V- . . IgJiUsai) And We made it a deterrent to those of their
day and those after them 293 and an admonition to the God-fearing.

^' (i^*%f^'* • •**' ?) ^ nc * reca M when MusS said to his people. 294
Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow. 996 They said : m make you jest of
us ? Musa said : I take refuge with Allah that I should be of the pagans.* 97

273. (in thee, O Mohammad !). i. e., the Muslims.

274. The correct rendering of J ^ ^jjj) can only be 'those who are
Judaised or those who have become Jews/ c It is for the first time that the Qtir'&n
speaks of the 'Jews' as distinct from the 'children of Israel.' The two terms, though
frequently used as synonymous, are not exactly coextensive or interchangeable.
Israelites are a race, a nation, a people, a huge family, the sons of a particular
progenitor, conscious and proud of their high lineage. Jews are also a religious
community, a church believers in particular tenets, members of a certain faith.
The Holy Qjur'an, regardful of the niceties of expression, has always observed
this distinction. When speaking of the religious beliefs and practices of the

//. Sdrat-uf-Baqarah 45

Hebrews and those who had adopted their faith, it uses the term 'Jews / when
alluding to their history and their national traits it keeps mentioning 'the children
of Israel/ The Israelites ceased to exist as a nation with destruction of the temple
in A. D. 70 and thenceforth they became a purely religious community. Many of
the Arabs had, by the advent of Islam, adopted the Jewish faith and usages.
Hence the significance of the Quranic expression 'those who are Judaised/ 'The
children of Israel/ so frequently addressed in the Qur'an, says D. S. Margoliouth,
'were merely Arab tribes made Israelite by conversion.' (Torrey, Jewish Foundation
of Islam, p. 23) Most of the Arab Jews, like the Jews of Abyssinia, seem not to
have been genuine children of Israel, but native converts to Judaism/ (HHW.
VIII. p. 10) 'Judging by their proper nouns and the Aramrcan vocabulary used in
their agricultural life, these Jews must have been mostly Judaised clans of Arabian
and Ararruean stock though the nucleus may have been Israelites who fled from
Palestine at the time of its conquest by the Romans, in the first century after
Christ/ (Hitti, op. cit., p. 104)

275. i X^j is, in its proper sense, 'Nazarcnes/ n

not Christians. A

s^'r 3 - 1

is 'a Nazarene' in its original meaning and a Christian only 'in its secondary
applicat' ..' (LL) 'Nazarene/ is derived from 'Nazareth/ the place where Jesus
passed his youth. The Nazarenes or the primitive Christians were the followers of
the original pre-Pauline church, not quite like the present-day Christian of the
Pauline variety. Nor is the title 'in itself disparaging/ (EBi. c. 3356) Rather, 'it
was a primitive designation for Christians/ (ERE. III. p. 374)

276. Sabl is literally 'one who goes forth from one religion to another/ (LL)
"The Sabians who are first mentioned in the Koran were a semi-Christian sect of
Babylonia, the Elkasaites, closely resembling the Mandasans or so-called 'Christians
of St. John the Baptist/ but not identical with them// (EBr. XIX. p. 790)
According to another definition, they were a sect in ancient Persia and Chaldea,
who believed in the unity of God but also worshipped intelligences supposed to
reside in the heavenly bodies. 'The genuine Sabians of Arabic writers were a
Judax>-Christian sect who also called themselves Nasoraie d'Yahya, the Nasoreans

(i.e., the observants of St. John), and therefore became erroneously known to the
modern world as the Christians of St. John (the Baptist). (Hitti, op. cit., p. 357).
They 'practised the rite of baptism after birth, before marriage and on various
other occasions. They inhabited the lower plains of Babylonia, and as sect they go
back to the first century after Christ . . . Mentioned thrice in the Koran, these
Babylonian Sabians acquired a dhimma status and were classified by Moslems as a
'protected' sect . . . The community still survives to the number of five thousand in
the swampy lands near al-Basrah. Living in the neighbourhood of rivers is necessi-
tated by the fact that immersion in flowing water is an essential, and certainly the
most characteristic feature of their religious practice/ (ib)

277. i. e., comes to believe, irrespective of his past.

278. i. e., in a way sanctioned by the code of Islam.

279. Abrupt transition from singular number to plural is frequent in Arabic.

280. Right belief and right conduct are the only sine qua non of salvation
which every individual has thus in his own hands. Howsoever grave his misbelief
or mis onduct in the past, he is not past redemption. If he only accepts God's
truth, and obeys His laws, however late in life, blessings both of this world and the
Next are his. Not even the Jews with their centuries-old record of crime and
corruption, depravity and rebellion, are debarred from Allah's All-embracing grace
and mercy : provided they mend their ways. (Th) Salvation is not confined to any
particular race or nationality.

281. i. e., no fearful event.

282. (on the Judgment-Day).

283. (that you would live by the Law, O Children of Israel !). 'The con-
ception of religion as a covenant concluded by God with man is peculiarly Jewish.'
(JE. IV. p. 319;

284. 'And it came to pass — that there were thunders and lightning, and a
thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud ; so that
all the people that was in the camp trembled . . . and they stood at the nether part
of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke . . . and the whole
mount quaked greatly.' (Ex. 19: 16-18) That the mount was actually inverted
over the Israelites is what is expressly narrated in the Talmud. 'The holy One,
blessed be He, inverted mount Sinai over them like a huge vessel and declared, 'If
you accept the Torah, well and good; if not, here shall be your sepulchre.' (ET.
p. 66) 'God suspended the mount over them as a bat, and said to them, "if you
accept the Torah, it is all right ; if not, you will find here your tomb." ( JE. IV. 321)
\ *1* * s applied to 'mount Sinai and to the mount of Olives, and to several other
mountains.' (LL) Here it denotes mount Sinai. There are several summits at
present in the group of mountains known as Sinai.

285. i. e., the Torah.

286. U.J 'in its original and general application, expresses hope ; but in
the word of God it often expresses certainty.' (LL)

287. (from Our law and commands). 'How oft did they provoke him in
the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert ! Yea ! they turned back and tempted
God, and tempted the Holy One of Israel.' (Ps. 78: 40-41)

288. All such verses of the Qur'an are indicative of God's extreme solicitude
for mankind in general and for the children of Israel in particular.

289. i e., of their fate. The address is to the Jews of the holy Prophet's
time.

290. (the bounds of the Law).

291. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week (Saturday), which in the
Jewish law was to be devoted exclusively to religious observances, and a cessation of

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 47

almost all the principal activities of life, such as field-labour, business, cooking,
hunting, was imperative ; and the penalty of profaning the sacred day was death.
'Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore ; for it is holy unto you. Everyone that defileth
it shall surely be put to death : for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall
be cut off from among his people . . . Whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day,
shall surely be put to death.' (Ex. 31 : 14-15) 'The Sabbath is a sign between
YHWH and Israel, an everlasting covenant. Death or excision was the penalty of
its profanation by work/ ( JE. X. p. 587)

292. (and driven away). There are several points to note. In the first
place, the Qur'an does not say whether the sentence was actually carried out, or
ultimately rescinded on the transgressors' repentance, some commentators adopting
the latter suggestion. Secondly, the transformation may have taken place only in
manners and morals as held by some early commentators, and not physically.
Thirdly, the Qur'an only argues from the Jews' knowledge of, and their credence
in, such an event, ^JUU &*) Ye know lt perfectly well') and itself says nothing
about its occurrence or otherwise. The usual Quranic way of rehearsing the facts of
Jewish history is different ; it begins with il ('and recall when — '). The commonly
accepted view of the commentators is that the transformation took place at Eylah or
Ailah, in the time of David (on him be peace !) and owing to his curse on the
persistent Sabbath-breakers, and that the offenders were changed into apes, who
died, all of them, after three days. Eylah, or Elath, of the Bible, was a flourishing
harbour on the north-east arm of the Red Sea and is the modern town of 'Aqabah.
There is a similar tradition of a tribe becoming baboon in certain primitive commu-
nities like the Zulus. (PC. I. p. 376) The scornful epithet .^jL,ta. strikes at the
root of monkey-adoration and Han'uman-worship of several polytheistic peoples.

JLlcL is usually applied to 'a dog, and to a swine, and to a devil,' and means
'driven away, repelled, and not supposed to come near to men. And hence,
contemptible, despicable, vile, or abject.' (LL)

293. i, e., to their contemporaries and their posterity. J£j is 'punishment
serving to give warning to others than the sufferer ; or that restrains the offender
from repeating the offence.' (LL) Cf. the OT : 'Then I contended with the nobles
of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the
Sabbath day ? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil
upon us, and upon this city ? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning
the Sabbath.' (Ne. 13: 17-18)

294. (who were by now deeply tainted with the Canaanite superstition of
bull-adoration).

295. Or, a bull.' The word Hyb is a generic name denoting any kind of
bovine cattle. Commonly used for the cow, it may also denote a bull or an ox.

296. (in utter incredulity).

297. (by profaning the solemn office of God's apostleship by making jests).

48 Part I

68. ( J>/4) ;. . .IjJti) They said : Supplicate your Lord for us that He make
clear to us what she may be. 288 Musa said : He says, she should be a cow
neither old nor young, but middling between the two ; so perform what you are
bidden.

69. (^jjfcjUl. . .IjJli) They said : supplicate your Lord for us that He
make clear to us what her colour may be. Musa said : He says : she should be
a yellow cow whose colour is bright 299 delighting the beholders.

70. (^6^i. . .IjJU) They said : supplicate your Lord for us that He
make clear to us what she may be ; 300 the cow has become dubious to us, 801 and
surely, if God 302 will, we shall now be guided.

71. (^jJUAj. . . JU) Musa said : He says, surely she should be a cow
unyoked not broken to till the ground or to, water the field, sound, and without
blemish in her. 803 They said : you have now brought the truth. 30 * Then they
slaughtered her, and they were well-nigh not doing it. 305

SECTION 9

72. (,0 **££?. • -il j) Ana " recall when you 306 slew a person, then quarrel-
led among yourselves concerning it, 307 and Allah was to disclose 308 what you
were hiding. 809

73. ( ^jLUS. • -UUi) Then we said : strike him 310 with part of her. 3 "
Thus 312 will Allah bring to life the dead, 313 and He shows you His signs 314 that
haply you may understand. 316

298. (as to her age).

299. e Or rather fawn-coloured as are most of the cows of Arabia.' (Lskj
•SIS signifies both intensely yellow and intensely red. It is also applied to signify
any colour free from admixture.

//. * SUrat- ul-Baqara h 49

300. (in her other particulars).

301. (as there are so many cows answering to this description).

302. c God% not 'Allah/ because the speakers here are Jews.

303. The- Hebrew term for "blemish" seems to have originally meant a
"black spot." Tt denotes anything abnormal or deviating from a given standard
whether physical, moral or ritualistic. "Biblical legislation makes certain kinds of
blemishes a ground for disqualification of animals for sacrifice." (JE. III. p. 240)

304. i. <?., plain and full description.

305. i. <?., they looked not doing that, considering their long-drawn quibble
and the contentions nature of their questioning.

306. (O Children of Israel!).

307. (each of you accusing his fellow of the murder).

308. (in a way undreamt of by you).

309. And this was the occasion of the command to slaughter the cow.

310. i. *., the person slain.

311. i. e., the slaughtered cow.

312. i. e.. as in this particular instance, the person slain was raised to life.

313. (on the Day of Judgment).

314. i. c, signs of His power and potency.

315. (and may learn that He who is able to raise to life one soul is able to
raise to life many souls).

50 Part I

, i'j&\ uP»

>m@\ 4l l& a jw &t&ci gig $ ^ m&$&% «

74. ( .jJUju. . .*i) Then your hearts hardened thereafter, 316 so they were
as stones, 317 or even harder ; and surely of stones there are some from which rivers
gush forth, and surely there are of them some that split and water issues there-
from, and surely there are of them some that fall down in awe of Allah, 318 and
Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 319

75. ( .jy+Uj, . ...,yuJaXj\ ) Do you 320 covet then that they 321 would believe
for you 322 whereas surely a section of them has been hearing the word of Allah,
and then perverting it 323 after they have understood it, 324 while they know. 325

76. ( .jJUuj. . . ItSI ») And when they 326 meet those who believe they say:
we believe, and when some of them 327 are alone with some others 329 they 38 '
say . 330 (j you 33i tell them 382 of what God has opened to you ; so that they may
dispute with you therewith before your Lord ? Understand then you not ? 333

77. ( ,,jjUj. . .1U) Do they not know that Allah knows what they hide
and what they make known ? 334

316. (instead of being chastened).

317. 'O Lord ! . . . thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved ; thou
hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction ; they have
made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.' (Je. 5: 3)
'This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth
correction/ (7 : 23) 'Why should ye be stricken any more ? Ye will revolt more
and more/ (Is. 1 : 5). 'All the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.'

(Ez. 3:7)

318. A beautiful description, in parable, of three grades of a righteous

people : —

(a) those who do universal good, such as the prophets (like big rivers
in their beneficence).

(b) those whose outlook is not so broad, yet who do immense service
within their limited sphere, such as the saints and martyrs (like
smaller streams and rivulets) ; and

fc Surat-ul-Baqarah 51

(c) those who are true and faithful at least to their own selves ; — the
general community of the faithful (like stones which are impres-
sionable).

3 1 9. (and He shall call you to account at the proper time)

320. (O Muslims!).

321. i. e., the Jews, — a people so hard-hearted.

322. *\ e., for your sake.

323. Islam was not the first to accuse the Jews of deliberate perversion of
their sacred texts. The charge dates back to Jeremiah, one of their own prophets.
-Ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts, our God.'
(Je. 23 : 36) In the N. T. also there are several allusions to the Jews corrupting
and perverting the word of God, as in 2 Go. 2 : 17; Ti. 1 : 10. That the books of
the OT exist now in their original purity is not the position of anybody to-day —
not even of the most conservative Jew.

324. »*. <?., their act of perverting their sacred text is deliberate and with a
set purpose, so that far from being ashamed of it they are proud of their perfor-
mance.

325. Very interesting and very illuminating are the Jews' own description
of the 'Books' of the Bible and their ascription of the authorship to 'ancient sages'
and to 'great teachers' and never to the Divine Author Himself. 'That the real
authority of the Bible is intrinsic rather than prescriptive becomes clear as soon as
we think of the circumstances in which the Scriptural canon was formed. The
decision by which certain books were included in the Bible and others excluded,
was a purely human decision. The great teachers sat in judgment upon the claims
of the various works, and decided upon those claims by the light of reason — in
other words, by the internal merits of the works themselves. Nor was the decision
always easy. The fate of some books, like Ecclesiastes, and Canticles, and Esther,
was, we learn, trembling in the balance even as late as the third century of the
present era. The touchstone applied to the various Books was intrinsic worth, and
nothing else.' (Joseph, Judaism as Creed and Life, p. 18) 'The Bible, being the
work of godly men, necessarily contains both a Divine and a human element. But,
since everything human is imperfect, we must not expect to find an absolutely
perfect representation of Divine truth even in God's Book. Rays of light, pene-
trating through a stained-glass window not only part with some of their brilliance but
borrow the various colours of the panes. It is so with the Bible ... To think
otherwise is to imagine that the authors of the Bible were not human beings but
Divine.' (p. 20) 'Some of the Biblical stories are clearly legends though highly
beautiful and instructive ... In regard to scientific matters it reflects only the
knowledge of the age in which each writer lived.' (pp. 22-23) 'The Pentateuch is
the work not of one hand but of many hands . . . Similar views prevail among
scholars with regard to other books of the Bible.' (p. 24) 'Jewish tradition, while

insisting that some Biblical books were composed by the chief actors therein, which
is not at all unreasonable, does not hesitate to admit later elaboration and revision
of certain books in the Bible,' (VJE. p. 93) 'As an unimpeachable source of
history and chronology the Bible is often disappointing, exhibiting statements and
data which seem either vague or contradictory or else fail to agree, with what is
known of contemporary oriental history and chronology.' (p. 95) 'Ancient Jewish
traditions attributed the authorship of the Pentateuch (with the exception of the
last eight verses describing Moses' death) to Moses himself. But the many incon-
sistencies and seeming contradictions contained in it attracted the attention of the
Rabbis, who exercised their ingenuity in reconciling them.' (JE. IX. p. 589)
'Spinoza goes so far as to attribute the composition of the Pentateuch not to Moses,
but to Ezra, which view appears to have existed even in the time of the Apocrypha.*
(p. 590) The latest analysis, however, has led finally to the definitive attribution of
the Pentateuch contents to no less than twenty-eight different sources, (ib)

326. i. e. t the hypocrites among the Jews, posing as Muslims but infidels
at heart.

327. i. e. t the dissemblers among them.

328. i. e. t the open rejectors of Islam among them.

329. (of the latter variety), i. e. t the avowed enemies of Islam.

330. (to those who have been indiscreet in their speech) .

331. (O our foolish brethren!)

332. i. e. t the Muslims.

333. This is how the more obdurate among the Jews remonstrated with
their co-religionists for opening their hearts to the Muslims. The allusion is to such
matters as prophecies about the Prophet of Islam and any other information that
the Muslims might have made use of and that might have proved damaging to the
cause of Jewish religion.

334. How foolish, then, was their attempt to conceal their Scriptures, know-
ledge from the Muslims !

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 53

-v^jif fcJ<

78. (^^JLiiu. . . mjU",) And of them 335 are unlettered ones who do not
know the Book but their own vain desires, 336 and they but conjecture. 337

79. ( .^^6. . .Jj,j) Woe then to them 338 who write out the Book 8 *
with their own hands and say thereafter : this is from God, 840 that they may barter
it for a small price. Woe then to them for what their hands have written, 8 " and
woe to them for that they earn thereby ! 842

80. (^^JUJ. • .JU .) And they say : Fire will not touch us 848 save for a
few numbered days. 844 Say thou : 346 have you taken a covenant 348 with Allah,
so that Allah shall not fail His covenant, or do you fabricate against Allah 347 what
you have no knowledge of ?

81. ( . .Ma.. . . 1>) Yea ' whoso 348 earns vice 849 and his sin has encom-
passed him 860 these shall be the inmates of the Fire 3 " as abiders therein.

82. ( ,^xi. . . . .,-»cJJ.) And they who believe and do righteous works—
these shall be the inmates of the Garden as abiders therein.

335. i. e. f the Jews.

336. i. e. f the products of imagination and fancy. Cf. the NT : — 'The time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears • and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Ti. 4: 3-4)

337. It is perhaps to these fancies and conjectures that Paul refers as
'foolish questions and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law.'
(Tt. 3:9)

338. i. e. t the learned among the Jews.

339. i. e., any part thereof.

340. Pseudepigraphy or 'the habit of adopting literary disguises' is a very
old one in Hebrew literature. According to the views of higher criticism, there are
a large number of books of the Old Testament which might be included under the
foregoing heading/ ( JE. X. p. 256) 'The ancients regarded the whole mass of the
national religious writings as equally holy . . . The canonical books, therefore, needed

54 p ait I

no special designation, since all were originally holy. A new term had to be coined
for the new idea of non-holy Books.' (III. pp. 140-141) The habit of literary
forgeries had grown so strong with the, Jews that in the first and second centuries of
the Christian era they felt no scruple in composing works depicting 'the grandeur
and moral elevation of Judaism, and ascribing their own writings to heathen poets
and celebrities/ (II. p. 9) 'Pseudepigraphy — ascribing the authorship of a
book, falsely, to some person of note in order to make it more popular — has
frequently been practised in Jewish literary history. Possibly there arc examples of
it in the Bible {e.g., the latter part of the book of David), and the best known
example is probably the Zohar.' (VJE. p. 542)

341. 'Some of the modern Biblical scholars have not been content only
with explaining and justifying the practice but have gone the entire length of
extolling it, and that too with an artistry that makes the fabrication a most touching
form of self-effacement. For instance, Mr. J. XV, Chadwick, in his Bible of To-day,
writes : — "There is this at least to be said for those who put forth their own writings
for those of illustrious men who had lived long before. It was not for themselves
they desired the honour which would accrue from such a course : no, but only for
the word they had to speak, the cause they wished to serve. If only this might
prosper they were willing to remain for ever in obscurity. And there they have
remained until this day. - " One wonders whether it has ever occurred to such
apologists that the same justification, or rather glorification, of the fabricator of the
Holy Writ, may well be applied to the case of those clever rogues "behind the
scenes" at Delphi who were equally "willing to remain for ever in obscurity" if only
the cause of their oracle might prosper and who have equally "remained there
until this day." Nay, what is there to prevent this plea being pushed to its logical
conclusion in order to extol the cleverness of every forger of a cheque, every manu-
facturer of currency notes and every counterfeiter of coins provided only that the
motive of such self-eflacement and impersonation was presumed to benefit other
people as well." (MA)

342. Thus the Qur'an condemns both the ends and the means equally
emphatically. Contrast with this the doctrine of Paul : 'If the truth of God hath
more abounded through my lie unto His glory; why yet am I also judged as a
sinner ?' (Ro. 3 1 7) An interesting illustration of 'the end justifying the means!'
'Such fraud upon human conscience is indeed woeful and no less woeful is the petty
purpose that the perpetrators of such frauds have in view compared with the divine
purpose of transcendent importance running through God's revelations.' (MA)

343. "Us" means the Israelites as a race, as a people. They considered
themselves as such immune from the punishment of the Hereafter. 'In the
Hereafter Abraham will sit at the entrance of Gehinnom and will not allow any
circumcised Israelite to descend into it. As for those who sinned unduly, what
does he do then ? He removes the foreskin from children who had died before

//. Surat-ulBaqarah 55

circumcision, places it upon them and sends them down to Gehinnom.' (ET. p. 404)
'Israelites who are circumcised will not descend to Gehinnom.' (ib) 'The Fire of
Gehinnom has no power over the disciples of the Sages . . . The Fire of Gehinnom
has no power over the sinners in Israel. ' (p. 405) 'The Fire of Gehinnom does not
touch the Jewish sinners because they confess their sins before the gates of Hell and
return to God.' (JE. V. p. 583)

344. 'Forty days: the period during which they worshipped the calf.'
(Rod well)

345. (O Prophet!).

346. (to that efTcct)

347. ,o-Lc jU ' s equivalent fK \p olj.J 'He lied, or said, what was false
against him.' (LL)

348. i. e., to whatsoever race or nation he may belong.

349. The implication of ^_^ M $ is that misdeeds are intentional, not acci-
dental.

350. The implication of the word e^Jal^i is tnfU not ;1 trace is left of virtue,
which is possible only in the case of those who are totally devoid of faith.

351. (and this will be in utter disregard of their ancestry).

56 Part II

>«£&''' „ -« ', ^

m & am ' mm # ^^ ^ %§&&<$, my®

SECTION 10

83. (^yby**. . . .M ,) And recall when We took a bond with the children
of Israil saying : 'you shall not worship any god save Allah, 362 and show kindness
to parents 358 and also to the kindred and the orphans 364 and the needy, 865 and
speak kindly to mankind 366 and establish prayer and give the poor-rate. Then you
turned away 857 , save a few of you, and you are backsliders. 358

84 - ( ,j «»«*#• --ii,) And recall when We took a bond with you, saying :
you shall not shed your blood, 359 nor drive one another from your homes, then
you ratified it, 360 and you were witnesses. 361

85. ( . *x**J« • »fi) Thereafter it is you the very ones who slay one another
and drive a section of you from their homes; and conspire 362 against them 868
with guilt and iniquity, 364 and if they come to you as captives you ransom them ;
yet forbidden to you was their driving away. 366 Do you believe then in part of
the Book and disbelieve in part ? What, then, is to be the recompense of those
of you who do that, save humiliation in the life of the world. 366 And on the Day
of Judgment they shall be brought back to the severest torment ; 367 and Allah is
nor unmindful of what they do.

352. Literally 'ye shall not worship any one save Allah' ^jj| ^y^ ^ )L*cJ.
Indicative mood in the sense of imperative. Cf. the OT : — 'And God spake all these
words saying, I am the Lord thy God . . . Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'
(Ex. 20 : 1-3) 'The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb ... I am the
Lord thy God . . . Thou shalt have none other gods before rae.' (Dt. 5:2, 6:7)
'Hear O Israel : the Lord our God is our Lord . . . Thou shalt fear the Lord thy
God, and serve him ... ye shall not go after other gods/ (6 : 4, 13, 14)

353. 'Honour thy father and thy mother/ (Ex. 20 : 12 ; Dt. 5 : 16)

354. 'Orphans are represented throughout the Bible as helpless beings and
therefore the Pentateuch reiterates continually the command to render justice to
orphans/ (JE. IX. p. 438)

355. 'Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and
to thy needy, in thy land/ (Dt. 15: 11)

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 57

356. Notice that the Muslims are enjoined to behave with courtesy and
politeness towards one and all.

357. 'They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded
them/ (Ex. 32:8)

358. 'I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people/
(Ex. 32 : 9) 'Thou art a stiffnecked people ' (33 : 3) 'Ye are a stiffnecked people/
(33 : 15) 'It is a stiffnecked people/ (34:9) 'Thou art a stiffnecked people ...
From the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto
this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked
the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you/
(Dt. 9 : 6, 7, 8) 'Ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God, and
ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice. Ye have been rebellious against the
Lord from the day that I knew you/ (9 : 23-24)

359. 'Thou shalt not kill' (Ex. 20 : 13) 'Wherefore I command thee . . .
That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee
for an inheritance/ (Dt. 19 : 7, 10)

360. i. e., affirming it willingly and expressly. 'And they said, All that the
Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient/ (Ex. 24 : 7)

361. (thereto). 'Abrahamitic covenant ... was renewed on Mount Sinai
when, before the giving of the Law, Israel as a people pledged itself to keep his
covenant/ (JE. IV. p. 319) 'They were convinced that Moses repeated God's
words to them faithfully, and they declared themselves willing to hear all that
he spoke in God's name, and to act accordingly. God thereupon revealed to
Moses all the commandments and all the statutes and judgments, which Moses
communicated to the people/ (XII. p. 133)

362. (with their foes). The allusion is to the Jews of Madlna.

363. 'The Jews took an active part in the battle of Buath between the
Banu Aus and the Banu Khazraj. The Banu Nadir and the Banu Kuraiza fought
with the Banu Aus, while the Banu Kainuka were allied with the Banu Khazraj.
The latter were defeated after a long and desperate battle/ (JE. VIII. p. 423)
The Jewish tribes 'took part in the quarrels of the two Arab clans with whom they
intermarried' and 'they fought occasionally on both sides/ (II. p. 42)

364. All this refers to the Arab Jews of the Prophet's time, a section of
whom always sided with the pagans in the latter's war upon another section of the
Jews, and thus out of petty animosities they were led to the destruction of their
community.

365. 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house'. (Ex. 20 : 17)

366. A prophecy that proved true to the letter, in a few years' time, by the
utter extermination of the Jewish tribes in Arabia, great and mighty as they were.

367. Compare denunciation of the Jews in the NT :— 'Ye serpents, ye
generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell ?' (Mt. 23 : 33)

_58 p art //

r *S%''' .~-" T i

*&> ig (5»j_y» 49 <^ ^ , j 8 «saii ^ ^ * f$& _x

86. (^j^j. . .t_CtJ 5 l)|These are they who have purchased the life of
the world for 368 the Hereafter ; so the torment shall not be lightened for them,
nor shall they be helped. 869

SECTION 11

87. (^^u&y. . .dJU 5 ) And assuredly We gave to MusS the Book, 370 and
We followed him up by mesengers 371 after him ; and to 'l-s§, 372 son of Maryam, 373
We gave the evidences 374 and aided him with the holy Spirit. 376 Then whenever
there came to you a messenger with what your hearts desired not, 376 you waxed
stiffnecked, 377 and some you denied 378 and others you slew. 379

88 - (gj$fc*&i» • •V-'j) And tne y sa y : 380 our hearts are in a covering. 381
Nay ! Allah has cursed them because of their infidelity : 3M little therefore is that
which they believe. 383

89. ( .jjiXJ t. . .U.) And when there came to them a Book" 81 from Allah

confirming what was with them, 385 and aforetime they were entreating God

for victory 396 over those who disbelieved, 387 then when there came to them

what they recognized, 388 they disbelieved therein ; so Allah's curse 389 be on the
infidels !

368. i. e., at the price of : in exchange for.

369. (by the intercession of prophets and angels).

370. i.e., the Torah.

371. (from amongst the Children of Israel).

372. i, e,, Jusus, the last prophet of the house of Israel, who, according to
his apostles at Jerusalem, 'was the Christ as the anointed man, not as the incarnate
Angel, Messiah born by a virgin, nor as the man united with the celestial Christ by
the Holy Spirit.' (Bunsen, Islam or True Christianity, p. 141) The latter-day
conceptions of the so-called 'Christianity' were recognised neither by Jesus himself
nor his twelve apostles, (ib)

//. SQrat-ul-Baqarah 69

373. *'. e., Mary; 'Son of Mary/ that is, son of a woman, and therefore a
mortal like other human beings; and not 'Son of God' or co-equal- with Him in any
respect or in any sense of the word.

374. (of his prophethood) i. e., miracles and the Scriptures. He was a true
and honoured prophet of God !

375. i. e., the angel Gabriel who attended on Jesus (peace be on him!)
constantly and succoured him in a special way. This 'holy spirit" of Islam has
nothing, save name, in common with the 'Holy Ghost' of Christianity, who is 'the

Third Person of the Blessed Trinity the Spirit of the Father and of the Son'

proceeding 'alike from both as from one common principle/ (CD. p. 451) Islam
has no such preposterous proposition to support as that 'the Holy Spirit is rightly
included in the Godhead, and to be worshipped and glorified with the Father and
the Son as divine/ (ERE. XI. p. 798) Nor has it any such polytheistic doctrine to
promulgate as that the Holy Spirit is 'Sovereign and Life-giving Who proceedeth
from the Father. Who with the Father and the Son is together worshipped and
glorified/ (EBr. XI. p. 635)

376. i. e. with such commandments and laws as were not to your taste.

377. (scornfully rejecting the apostles).

378. (and harassed and persecuted them).

379. See nn. 269, 270 above. The tense of the verb ^JUaJ implies that
the Jews were making attempts on the life of the holy Prophet at the moment these
words were being revealed.

380. (in pride and conceit).

381. i. e., secure against that to which thou invitest us, and impervious to
any new influence. The Jews in their aggressive self-conceit thought that they were
above the advances of Islam and unsusceptible to them. ^Jji plural of t-iUf
literally means 'uncircumcised / when applied to a heart, it means 'as though it
were covered with a ^Xi so that it does not learn, or covered from hearing and
accepting the truth/ (LL) For the Biblical use of the word 'uncircumcised' in
various connections see Ex. 6: 12, Ezek. 44: 7, and Ac. 7: 51.

382. i. e., because of their persistent opposition to God's Messenger and
their wilful blindness to see the truth.

383. (and that 'little' belief shall not avail them).

384. i. «., the Qur'an.

385. (already), i. «., the Torah.

386. (by the advent of a new Messenger or Messiah). £XaX*I signifies
'He sought, desired, demanded, or asked, aid against an enemy, or victor^/ (LL)

387. i. e., the Arab idolaters. This refers to the Jews' anticipation of a
Messiah under whom they hoped to fight and vanquish the Arab pagans. 'Now the
Jews oft-times suffered violence at their hands, arid when strife was between them they
had ever said to them, "Soon will a Prophet arise and his time is at hand; himwill

we follow, and with him slay you with the slaughter of 'Ad and Iram" (Ibn Ishaq
quoted in Arnold's Preaching of Islam, p. 20).

388. (as the true Message and the true Messenger).

389. For 'curses' compare the OT : — ''A curse, if ye will not obey the com-
mandments of the Lord your God/ (Dt. 11 : 27) 'If thou wilt not hearken unto

the voice of the Lord thy God all these curses shall come upon thee and

overtake thee ; cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the
field. Gursed shalt be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shalt be the fruit of thy
body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of
thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be
when thou goest out. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke,
in all that thou settest thy hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until
thou perish quickly ; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast
forsaken me.' (28 : 15-20) In the NT there are curses against the barren fig-tree,
the scribes and Pharisees.

//. SUrat-ul Baqarah ^ 61

®G?A^ ^ToJ o^ijl^j o-EJI gji & OJI alii ^

90. (.h^.. . .L«Jo) Vile is that for which they iiave sold themselves,
disbelieving in what Allah has sent down, 890 out of envy, 881 that Allah shall reveal,
out of His grace, to whomsoever of His bondmen He will. 89 - Therefoie they have
drawn upon themselves wrath upon wrath, 393 and to the inf. elds shall be a
torment ignominious. 894

91. ( xk^, . .iil .) And when it is said to them : believe in what Allah
has sent down now, they say : we believe in what has been sent down to us. 895
And they disbelieve in what is besides that, while it is the truth, confirming what
is with them. 386 Say thou : 397 why then did you kill Allah's prophet's aforetime 388
if you have been believers ? 398

92. ( dfjj&a • -.*.*' 5) And assuredly Musa" came to you with evidences,
then you took to yourselves the calf 400 after him, 401 and you were transgressors.

93. ( lfl jdUA*« . .31 ,) And recall when We took your bond and raised over
you the Tur, 402 say/'ng: hold fast to what We gave you and listen. They said :
we hear and we deny. 403 And into their hearts the calf 401 was made to sink
because of their infidelity. 406 Say thou 406 : vile is what your belief commands
you, if you are believers at all. 407

94. ( .jjJiX-tf. . .Is) Say thou : 408 if for you alone is the abode of the Here-
after with Allah to the exclusion of mankind, 408 then long for death, if you are
truthful. 410

390. (as His Message).

391. This emphasises the fact that Jewish opposition was not based upon
any intellectual misapprehension, but was solely due to chagrin and malice at finding
a non-Israelite endowed with the high gift of prophethood.

392. The Jews, with the superiority complex of their race and their
'election' were smarting under the fact, too real and too patent to be ignored, that
the new Messenger had risen not among themselves but among their cousins, the
children of Isma'll, whom they had so long held in contempt and derision.

393,. First, for denying God's truth: next, for the malice that prompted
them to deiiial and defiance.

62 Part II

394. (in addition to its being painfuJ).

395. i. e. to our people. The Jews held that believers they already were
like any good Muslims, since they fully believed in the prophets of their own race.
Why should they, they argued, be asked now to declare their belief in an Ishmaelite ?

396. The answer to the Jewish argument is twofold. They ought to believe
in the Qur'an, first, because it is True in itself, supported by independent evidence ;
and secondly, because it confirms and corroborates and supplements their own
Scripture, and does not detract from it.

397. (O Prophet!).

398. 'They were disobedient, and rebelled against thee and cast thy law
behind their backs, and slew thy prophets.' (Ne. 9 : 26) See nn. 269, 270 above.

399. (as you profess). This is the third answer to the Jews. Why did they
deny and slay prophets and apostles of their own race, if they had been believers all
along? Why. should have their history been red with the blood of their own
prophets, if they were believers at all ?

400. (for worship). See nn. 217, 219 above.

401. i. e., while he was away even for the short space of a few weeks.

402. See n. 284 above.

403. Compare the OT for a similar, though not the same, occasion : —

'Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and walk therein, and ye shall find

rest for your souls But they said : We will not walk therein. Also I sent

watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said :
We will not hearken." (Je. 6: 16-17)

404. j. e., the love of it, JsuJf being equivalent to J^Jl,^. (iQ,).

405. (as one vice necessarily leads to another). 'And they were made to
imbibe into their hearts the love of the calf/ (LL)

406. (O Prophet!).

407. The Jews professed to be men of faith and belief. The Qur'anic
answer is : Look at your deep-rooted calf-worship. Is that to what your faith leads
up ? Then that faith must be very vile indeed.

408. (O Prophet !).

409. (as you imagine in the height of your presumption). 'Ye are the
children of the Lord your God .... thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God,
and the Lord hath chosen thee to be peculiar people unto himself.' (Dt. 14: 1-2)
Easily were these 'chosen of their Lord and the favourites of Jehovah' led to believe
that none, save the descendants of Israel, would be recipient of His grace and
blessing in the Hereafter. 'Salvation is of the Jews !' ( Jn. 4 : 22).

410. ». e., if you are sincere in your profession.

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 63

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95. (.ju.jjii|. . . Ij .) And they will never long for it," 1 because of
what their hands have sent on before, 412 and Allah is Knovver of transgressors.

96. (!jjjJU«^ . .(.^sxxjj) And surely thou 413 wilt find them 414 the
greediest of all the people for life, 415 even greedier than those who associate. 4 '
Every one of them desires life for a thousand years, 417 and yet this will not save
him from -the torment, 418 even if he has lived so long. 419 And Allah is Beholder
of what they do.

SECTION 12

97- ( rfil^W.J. . . ii) Say thou : 420 whoso is an enemy to Jibril 421
then surely it is he who 422 has brought down this Revelation, by Allah's com-
mand, 423 to thy heart 424 confirming what went before, 426 and a guidance and
glad tidings to the believers. 426

98. ( jjxxi, . ..v^) Whoso is an enemy to Allah and His angels and
His messengers and Jibril and MTka'II, 427 then surely Allah is an enemy to the
infidels. 428

99. (^,ama.*J|. . .&&}*) And assuredly We have sent down upon thee 429
evident signs 430 and none disbelieves in them except the wicked. 431

100. ( .,»i„$j. . .Li*j) Is it that whenever they 432 enter into a cove-
nant 433 some party among them casts it aside ? Aye ! most of them do not
believe. 434

41 1. conscious as their hearts are of their guilt.

412. (of sins and misdeeds).

413. (O reader!).

414. (far from wishing death).

415. 'Physical life is valued by the Hebrew as a precious gift, given that he

may walk before God in the land of the living.' ( JE. VIII. p. 82). 'The same appre-
ciative view of physical or earthly life prevails also among the Rabbis ;

hence, ordinarily, one should rather transgress a commandment than incur death.'
(ib.) 'The prevalent custom among us,' says Judah Halevi, a prominent Jewish
philosopher, 'is not to despise life but to love the world and length of

life'. (ERE. II. p. 99).

416. (others with God), i. e., the idolaters who had no belief in a life after
death and hence their natural greediness of this world.

417. So it is not without significance that the American Jews of the
twentieth century record, with pride and pleasure, that 'the Jews in the country, as
well as abroad, enjoy a longevity superior to that of Christian population !'
( JE. V. p. 308).

418. (which is consequent on the nature of the life led in this world, and not
on the number of the years lived).

419. And so the care of a wise man should be to see how he lives rather than
how long.

420. (O Prophet!)

421. I. e., Gabriel, an arch-angel, whose function is to bring the divine
message to the phenomenal world. Through him usually God sends down His
revelation to the prophets. The Jewish conception is that Gabriel stands nearest to
Michael but does not equal him in rank. (JE. V. p. 541), and is the 'angel of
heavenly vengeance and of fire/ (I. p. 593). The Jews considered Michael to be
their national guardian, and made a grievance of the agency of Gabriel who accord-
ing to them was the messenger of wrath and punishment. It was Michael, they said,
who was the messenger of peace and plenty. Hence, they proceeded, they must
treat as spurious the revelation ascribed to the instrumentality of Gabriel.

422. (as a trusted messenger-intermediary).
423. and not of his own accord.

424. (O Prophet!).

425. (of the Divine Scriptures).

426." This sums up the main characteristics of the Qur'an : —

(a) It confirms and corroborates the revelations that have preceded it.

(b) It is a guidance in itself.

427. i. e., the angel Michael.

428. For all such hostilities amount to the rejection of, and disbelief in, the
true faith. Cf. the Bible : 'I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way . . .
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not Y (Ex. 23 : 20-21) : . . . 'but

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 65

they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit : therefore he was turned to be their enemy,
and he fought against them/ (Is. 63: 10).

429. (O Prophet!).

430. (of messengers hip). The Jews had demanded some 'sign.' The reply
is in effect : We have endowed the Prophe-t with not one but manifold signs, clear
even to you.

431. i. e., none save habitual criminals and confirmed offenders dare ignore
or deny signs so clear. Cf. the NT: — 'Though he had done so many miracles
before them, yet they believed not in him/ (Jn. 12 : 37) 'An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign/ (Ml. 12 : 39).

432. i. e., the Jews.

433. (of obedience).

434. (in the very existence of such a bond or covenant).

66 ^^ p art a

'J£k . g,

101 " (eM*-^* • •'- J j) And whenever there came to them a messenger
from Allah confirming what was with them, 486 a party among those who were
given the Book, cast Allah's Book 436 behind their backs as though they did not
know. 437

102, (ta> *****!• • •t}***l>) And they 438 follow 439 what the satans 440 recited
in the reign of Sulaiman. 441 And SulaimSn 442 blasphemed not, 443 but the satans
blasphemed, 444 teaching the people magic. And they 445 follow also what 44 ' was
sent down 447 unto the two angels 448 in Babil, 449 Harut and Marut. To none did
the twain teach 450 tt m until they had said ; 462 'we are but a temptation, 483 so
blaspheme not'. 464 But they 466 did learn 466 from the twain that with which they
might separate man from his wife, 467 though they could harm none thereby 458
save by Allah's will. 468 And they 460 have learnt what harms them 461 and does
not profit them.

And assuredly they knew 462 that whoso trafficks therein, his is no portion
in the Hereafter. 468 And surely vile is the price for which they have bartered
themselves ; would that they knew I

435. (of the earlier Scriptures).

436. (containing clear prophecies regarding the next Prophet).

437. (that it contained any such prophecy).

438. i. *., the Jews of Arabia, who were noted for their feats of exorcism

and magic. 'The practice of magic was common throughout ancient Israel '

A knowledge of magic was indispensable to a member of the chief council or of the
judiciary, and might be acquired even from the heathen. The most profound
scholars were adepts in the black art, and the law did not deny its power. The
people who cared little for the views of the learned, were devoted to witchcraft.
"Adultery and sorcery have destroyed everything; the Majesty of God '

departed from Israel Exorcism also flourished The Greco-Roman

world regarded the Jews as a race of magicians." (JE. VIII p. 255). This

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 67

reputation of the. Jews as skilled magicians and expert exorcists continued right up
to the time of the holy Prophet. 'They were,' in Arabia at the advent of Islam,
'adepts in magic, and preferred the weapons of the black art to those of open
warfare/ (Margoliouth, Mohammad, p. 189) The Arab Jews were adepts in the
black magic both of Palestine and and Ghaldia (Babylonia). They inherited the
one and acquired the other. The Chaldeans after they had ceased to be a nation,
'dispersed all over the world, carrying their delusive science with them practising
and teaching it, welcomed everywhere by the credulous and superstitious/
(Ragozin, Chaldea, p. 255) And no better pupil could they have found than the

Jews. 'Babylonia continued to be regarded with reverence by the Jews in

all parts/ (JE. II. pp. 413-414) 'Contact with Babylonia tended to stimulate
the angelology and demonology of Israel/ (EBr. XIII. p. 187, 11th Ed.).

439. (instead of following the precepts of the Qur'an).

440. i. e., malevolent genii or jinns. There also may be a tacit reference to
the malcontent historical personalities of Prophet Solomon's time— the renegade
Jeroboam and the apostate Ahijah, for example, and their band of rebellious cons-
pirators and unbelieving soothsayers.

441. i.«., the arts of black magic, sorcery and witchcraft. The Jews of the
holy Propht's time are charged with following the old devilish craft, and for
taking those practices of crude occultism as a fair substitute for spiritual truths and
religious learning and piety. J^ is also used in the sense of J as in the saying ....

^L*U lXU fc _ r U ^frWJf t,JU; U l^viJl 5 *• *** ^U*JU lSU ^5 ^,3 meaning):
And they followed what the devils related, or recited, in the time of, or during the
reign of Suleymah/ (LL)

442. i. e., King Solomon (973-933 B. C.) of the Bible, who, according to
the teachings of Islam, was not an idolatrous king, but a true prophet of God and a
benevolent and wise ruler. He was, as his name implies, essentially a man of peace.
The Jews, true to their traditions of ingratitude and malevolence, have not hesitated
to malign their own hero and national benefactor, Prophet Solomon (on him be
peace !), and to accuse him of the most heinous of all offences — idolatry ! (See I Ki.
1 1 : 4, 9, 10). They have also unblushingly attributed to him the cult of crude
occultism and witchraft. The Qur'an upholds the honour of all prophets of God,
to whatever race or age they may belong, and believes in the saintliness and sinless-
ness of every one of them. It takes this opportunity to sweep aside all the ugly
tales and outrageous imputations about Solomon, and says in effect that far from
being an unbeliever or a blasphemer, he never practised any such black art as the
pagans did.

443. (as supposed by the Jews and Christians). Observe the result of
modern research by Biblical scholars themselves into the 'polytheism' of Solomon
maintained by the Bible and stoutly denied by the Holy Qur'an. 'That Solomon
had a number of wives both Israelite and non-Israelite, is probable enough, but he

did not make altars for all of them, nor did he himself combine the worship of his
wives' gods with that of Yahwe. He can have had no thought of denying the sole

divinity of Yahwe in the land which was Yahwe's "inheritance" We have

no reason to doubt that according to his lights he was a faithful worshipper of
Yahwe, so far as this was consistent with his despotic inclinations.' (EBi. c. 4689).
That the king abandoned his faith in J and became an idolater is difficult to
believe, while it is easy to conceive how the fame to that effect may have arisen . . .
That he should have been guilty of the apostasy and sin alleged seems incredible and
inexplicable on any supposition except one, viz., that his mode of life had left him
prematurely worn out both in body and mind, so as to be, even in the fifth decade
of his age, in a senile condition and hardly responsible for his actions. That is little
if anything more than a supposition.' (DB. IV. pp^ 567, 568) 'Solomon was a
sincere worshipper of Yahwe, more cultured but less passionate in his devotion than
David.' (EBr. XX. p. 952).

444. (and took shelter behind the name of that great monotheist).

445. i. t., the Jews.

446. (variety of magic and witchcraft).

447. 'Which was sent down' means 'of which a special and intimate know-
ledge was given', in order that its nature be explained and its mischief be demons-
trated in full, and people may be weaned from the engulfing superstition, just as a
physician acquires an intimate knowledge of diseases not of course to propagate but
to combat them and just again as a police officer familiarizes himself with the ways
of criminals and law-breakers with the sole object of checkmating them.

448. (in human form).

449. i. e., Babylonia, the strongest citadel of magic and witchcraft in all
antiquity. 'It was to the exorcising of demons that so large, so disproportionate, a
part of the religions of Babylonia and Nincvah was devoted.' (Rogers, Religion of
Babylonia and Assyria, p. 145) 'Soothsaying and exorcism are so exceedingly nume-
rous as to form the chief component of the whole Babylonian religious literature.'
(ERE. II. p. 116). 'As Chaldean meant Babylonian ... so after the Persian
conquest it seems to have connoted the Babylonian literati and become a synonym
of soothsayer or astrologer. In this sense it passed into classical writers.' (EBi. c.
721). It was among a people so deeply immersed in the arts of black magic, and at
a time when prophets and saints, and men of God in general, had become mixed
up, in the popular mind, with sorcerers, enchanters, soothsayers and magicians, that
two special angels, in human form, were deputed to correct the prevalent miscon-
ceptions, to contradistinguish the genuine men of God from the 'spiritists' and
exorcists, and to inculcate in the people respect and reverence for prophethood.

450. i. e., made known by way of illustrating or explaining its nature.
Persons of morbid curiosity and roguish propensity gathered round the twain, and

ider pretext of knowing from them in detail what constituted magic and what did

un(

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 69

not, sought to learn those very practices and devices which it was the mission of the

angels to condemn and to eradicate.

451. i. e., the magic formula.

452. (as a measure of further precaution). To no one did the angels
reproduce the enchantments unless they had taken this further precaution.

453. (whereby the condition of a man is evinced in respect of good and evil).
£tt£ 'signifies a trial, or probation, and affliction . . . and particularly an affliction
whereby one is tried, proved, or tested .... Or a means whereby the condition of a
man is evinced, in respect of good and of evil ; hence it often means a temptation.'
(LL). . >H£*t, jUXcLI J I £UJ (IQ,).

454. (the name of God by adopting and practising these devilish crafts).
The twain, even when pressed by the logic of the situation to repeat, in spite of
themselves, the nefarious formula invariably prefaced it with this warning.

455. i. e., the wicked ones, as the majority of the Babylonians were.
45G. i. e., managed to learn ; snatched the knowledge of

457. ( Tho commonest form of magic was the love-charm, specially the love-
charm required for an illicit amour. Such magic was practised specially by women
so that magic and adultery frequently are mentioned together .... The context of
the passages in Exodus which mention sorcery clearly shows that it was associated
with sexual license and unnatural vices/ ( JE. VIII. p. 255)

458. i. c, with those charms and enchantments. So no superstitious fear of
the potency and efficacy of sorcery should arise in any mind.

459. i. e., except in accordance with His physical laws subject to which
poisons operate and disasters, diseases, and all events undesirable from the indivi-
dual's point of view, occur' every day. i | is not only 'permission or leave' but also
•will.'

460. i. e., the Jews.

461. (Morally and spiritually like every other sin), i.e.,. it recoils upon
themselves.

462. (from their own Scriptures and sacred lore).

463. 'Neither shall ye use enchantment.' (Le. 19 : 26) 'There shall not be
found among you anyone that makcth his son or daughter to pass through the fire,
or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or
a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For
all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord : and because of these
abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.' (Dt. 18;
10-12)

70 Part II

lift* o-^c^c^ur' '

103. ( . ?a jUj. . ./^Ji)J.) And jhad they believed and feared, 464 surely
better had been the reward from Allah ; would that they knew I

SECTION 13

104. ( 4 j|. . . ,jjj| f i( jj Ij) O you who believed ! do not say 466 : Ra'inS, iM
but say: Unzurna, 467 and listen; and to the infidels 468 (shall be) a torment
afflictive. 469

105. (,jjajj|. . . .j,SJlojj L.) Those who disbelieve, be they of the people

of the Book 470 or of the associators, 471 do not like that aught of good 472 should

»
be sent down upon you 473 from your Lord whereas Allah singles out for His

mercy whom He will, 474 and Allah is Possessor of mighty grace. 476

106. (fj&S. . .j^wJJ U) Whatsoever verse 476 We abrogate 477 or cause to be
forgotten 478 We bring a better one 479 or the like of it ; dost thou 480 not know that
Allah is over everything Potent ? 481

107. ( ; ^;. . .*Jl) Dost thou not know 482 that surely Allah ! His is the
dominion of the heavens and the earth ? 48a And for you 484 there is, beside
Allah, no guardian or helper.

464. (God, like the Muslims).

465. (unto the Prophet, when addressing him or drawing his attention).

466. i. e., 'listen to us.* The term, innocent in itself, was turned by a little
twist in pronunciation into a word of reproach and insult by- the Jews when addres-
sing the holy Prophet — to such depths of pettiness had they descended ! The
Muslims are forbidden to use this ambiguous expression to call the holy Prophet's
attention.

467. i. e., 'look upon us' ; as this term was free from undesirable suggestions.

468. I. «., such of them as in their intense hatred of the Prophet have even
done away with the common decency of speech.

469. (for the meanness of their demeanour and their hatred of the
Messenger of Truth). How on earth could a people so filled with venom of hate

//. SBrat-ul-Baqarah 71

and malice derive any benefit from the teaching of the Final Teacher?

470. In contradistinction to the idolaters, Islam gives this name, 'the people
of the Book' to the Jews and Christians on account of their possessing, in a falsified
form though, divine books of revelation, and grants them a privileged position.
Here the Jews are meant in particular.

471. #J .,xSwfcJ I is grammatically coupled with t_>bX!! ,U1 ano " is> m tne
objective case, governed by the preposition ^ not in the nominative and coupled
with \*>iS .vJiiJt as rendered by most of the English translators.

472. much less the highest good, the gift of prophethood.

473. (O Muslims!)

474. (irrespective of race, age, colour and country).

475. So He can be as Gracious to the descendants of Isma'll as He has been
to the race of Israel.

476. (whether of the Qur'an or of the earlier Scriptures). The word £j)
has several distinct meanings, the principal ones, according to LL. are : —

(a) a sign, token, or mark, by which a person or thing is known, (b) a
miracle, a wonder of God. (c) an example, a warning, (d) a verse of the Qur'an,
or of the former Scriptures.

477. There is nothing to be ashamed of in the doctrine of certain laws,
temporary or local, being superseded or abrogated by certain other laws, permanent
and universal, and enacted by the same law-giver, specially during the course of the
promulgation of that law. The course of Quranic Revelation has been avowedly
gradual. It took about 23 years to finish and complete the Legislation. Small
wonder, then, that certain minor laws, admittedly transitory, were replaced by
certain others, lasting and eternal. Even Divine laws may be subject to Divine
improvement, just as is every object and phenomenon in the physical universe of
His creation. It must be, however, clearly understood that the doctrine of abroga-
tion applies to 'law' only, and even there to those of minor or secondary importance.
Beliefs, articles of faith, principles of law, narratives, exhortations, moral precepts,
and spiritual verities, — none of these is at all subject to abrogation or repeal.

478. (from men's minds and memories).

479. i. e. s better suited to the exigencies of time and place.

480. (O captious objector !).

481. (so it is easy for Him to provide laws for every possible contingency).

482. (O captious objector !).

483. So He alone is the Arbiter and Law-giver. He can enact or revoke
whatever He will. None there is to hamper or obstruct His prerogative.

484. (O mankind!).

72 Part II

eft ji #Ni !&&«$'#$&£ 6i -h4*> ^ <y »is. « sS'&a

108. ( Lu^j |. . . . . tjyj ,|) Do you seek 485 to question 486 your messen-
ge 487 as Musa was questioned 488 before ? And whoso exchanges infidelity for
belief, he has assuredly strayed from the even way.

109. (-, $$. . #l > ) Many of the people of the Book desire that they could
turn you away 488 as infidels after you have believed, out of envy from their souls, 490
after the truth has dawned upon them ; m so pardon them 492 and pass over,
until Allah sends the command. 493 Surely Allah is over everything Potent. 494

110. ( ?Aaa j. . .Ij*jJ1 •) And establish prayer and give the poor-rate, 495
and whatever of good 486 you send forth for your souls you shall find with Allah;
surely Allah is Beholder of what you do.

111. ( my x$&*. . .!Jl>' ,) And they 497 say : none shall enter the Garden
except he be a Jew 498 or a Christian. 498 Such are their vain desires. Say thou : 600
forth with your proof if you are truthful.

112. ( .Jjsu. . . Jj) Aye ! whoso submits himself 501 to Allah and he
is a good-doer, his wage is with his Lord. No fear shall come on them nor
shall they grieve. 602

485. (O Jews!).

486. (with opposition and obstruction as your objective).

487. i.e., 'Messenger who is in your time/ (Th) 'The Jews would have
nothing to say to Islam : they set themselves instead to oppose it, to ridicule it, and
vex its Preacher in every way that their notorious ingenuity could device/ (LSK.

Intro, p. LXI)

488. t. <?., harassed with frivolous questions, contentious quibbles, and
impertinent demands.

489. (O Muslims !).

490. i. c, the envy raging in their hearts. Cf. the OT and the NT: —
'They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord/ (Ps. 106:
16) ; 'The Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain

II. Surat-ul-Baqarah 73

lewd fellows of baser sort/ (Ac. 1-7 :. 5) 'When the Jews saw the multitudes they
were filled with envy/ (13 : 35)

491. This is to emphasize that it was nothing but sheer preversity and malice
that prompted and moved the Jews to disobedience and rebellion.

492. (O Muslims ! and do not think of reprisals). To be roused to right-
eous indignation and retaliation was, on such an occasion, only too natural. But
the Muslims are asked, for the time being, to forbear and not to take immediate
action.

493. (to fight and retaliate). This foreshadowed that reprisals were about
to be commenced.

494. (so He can soon put the harassed and oppressed Muslims in a position
of power and command).

495. The word may perhaps be better rendered as 'alms-tax' since it is
essentially a State-tax to be paid by every well-to-do Muslim on his monetary
capital, livestock and garden or orchard produce. 'This annual payment also
impresses upon the believers a sense of corporate unity and the duty of sharing in
the common burdens/ (Arnold, Islamic Faith, p. 39).

49G. (whether it be prayer, or almsgiving, or Jihad or any other act of
merit).

497. **. e., the people of the Book : the Jews and the Christians.

498. This, according to the Jews. 'Solvation is of the Jews/ (Jn. 4:22)
'Mankind might all enjoy the divine favour, and yet this favour might still be
strictly limited to Jews by the simple condition that mankind must become Jew,
must receive circumcision, the physical token of Judaism, and adopt its social and
religious customs/ (EBI. c. 1685)

499. This, according to the Christians. 'Unless a man be born again of
water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God/ (Jn. 3 : 5.
DV.) 'I am the door : by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall
go in and go out, and find pasture. (Jn. 10:9) 'Neither is there salvation in
any other : for there is hone other name under heaven given among men, whereby
we must be saved/ (Ac. 4 : 12 DV.)

500. (O Prophet!). '

501. (heart and soul). Literally ^ is 'his face' or 'his countenance/

502. (in the Hereafter).

74 Part II

SECTION 14

113. ( .jiXXsaj. . *frJU|) And the Jews sav : tne Christians are not
grounded on aught ; 603 and the Christians say : the Jews are not grounded on
aught ; 604 while they 505 recite the same Book. 506 Even so they who do not
know 607 say the like of their saying. Allah will judge 508 between them 508 on the
Day of Judgment regarding what they have been differing in.

114. (* A k.e. . ,^« .) And who is more ungodly than he who prevents 510
the mosques of Allah 611 from His name being mentioned 512 in them and strives
after their ruin ? Those I it is not for them 613 to enter them except in fear, 614 To
them shall come humiliation in (this) world, 616 and to them in the Hereafter shall
come a torment mighty.

115. ( ,,jj.c. . #& u ,) And Allah's is the east 516 and the west ; 517 so wither
you turn 618 there is the Face of Allah ; 519 surely Allah is Pervading, 520 Knowing. 621

116. ( jo|, . ,UU .) And they 622 say : God has betaken unto Him a
son. 623 Hallowed be He ! 62 * Aye ! His is whatever is in the heavens and in the
earth ; 625 all are unto Him subservient 626 —

503. i. e. y have nothing to stand upon. The Jews 'had no reason to love
the Christians, or to say any good of them. The coming of Christ into the world had
perhaps brought blessing to the Gentiles ; but to Israel it was the herald of suffer-
ing . . . He was remembered, so far as He was remembered at all, as the man who
had chiefly brought dissension to Israel and the nearest approach to a defined
opinion about Him in the Talmud is the statement that "he practised magic and
deceived and led astray Israel." Round that statement there gradually gathered
stray bits of gossip about Him, coarse allusions to His birth, reminiscences of His
trial, and the like/ (ERE. VII. p. 551)

504. i. e„ have no foundation for their belief. 'The relations between
Judaism and Christianity have seldom been friendly. The early^ Church soon
discarded its Jewish element ; and, in the centuries during which Christianity had

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 75

the power to persecute, the Jewish people were thought of not as the natural kindred
of Jesus but as those who had rejected and killed Him. There was seldom a good
word for the Jews/ (ERE. VII. p. 551), 'The Jewish apostates, from Saul who
became Paul, have been a source of profound trouble of Jewry. Many became
informers, blackmailers, defamers of Jews and Judaism, relentless enemies, who by
their machinations and falsifications caused countless massacres, burning of Jews and
of Jewish books, exile and other misfortunes/ (VJE, p. 45)

505. i. e., both the Jews and Christians.

506. (equally acknowledged by hoth to be divine). 'The fact that both
sides appealed to the same source of authority— served also to narrow and intensify
the struggle/ ( JE. II. 9) 'The new religion . . . asserted that it had been founded
to fulfil the mission of Judaism, and endeavoured to prove the correctness of this
allegation, from the Bible, the very book upon which Judaism is founded/
(X. p. 103)

507. i. e., to the pagan Arabs who have no knowledge of revealed religion.
50b. (in a practical and demonstrable way). So far as arguments are

concerned, He has already delivered His judgment in this world.

509. i. e., all the contending parties.

510. (like the idolaters of Makka).

511. Mosques, to quote a Christian observer, are 'houses of prayer, of
extreme outer dignity and of puritanic austerity within, dedicated to the worship of
the One God, who was acclaimed alike by Moses, by Christ, and by Muhammad.
His prophets, all/ (Katherine Mayo, Face of Mother India, p. 43) Literally, a
mosque is 'a place where one prostrates oneself/

512. (and his worship being offered).

513. i. e., such ungodly persons.,

514. (and awe of the Muslims).

515. A prophecy that found its literal fulfilment in the utter rout of the
powerful pagans and complete annihilation of the deep-rooted paganism in Arabia
within a few brief years.

516. To which direction the Christians, in common with the sun-worship-
pers and many other polytheists, attach special sanctity. 'From very early times
and in more than one ethnic religion, the direction toward which the worshipper
made his prayer was considered of great importance .... The Essenes prayed in the
direction of the rising sun and the Syrian Christians also turned eastward at prayer.
The Zoroastrians attached great importance to the points of the compass in their
ritual of purification or prayer and in the building of the fire-temples, the
Bareshnum, and the towers of silence .... In the Anglican Church the import and
importance of the eastward position is still a matter of grave discussion/ The
Moslem World, New York, January, 1937, p. 13)

517. Which on the analogy of sunset, signifies to many superstitious nations,

the region of death. (PC. II. p. 422) To the Christians again the west is full of
meaning. 'In the rite of baptism .... the catechumen was placed with face
toward the west and then commanded to announce with gestures of abhorrence,
stretching out his hands against him thrice/' (p. 428) Says a renowned and ancient
Christian Father :— 'And why did ye stand toward the west? It was needful for
sunset is the type of darkness and he is darkness and has his strength in darkness;
therefore symbolically looking toward the west ye renounce that dark and gloomy

rule*.* {ib)

518. (irrespective of the points of the compass, O Muslims !).

519. & i)| g^. literally 'face or countenance' of Allah, signifies His presence.
He is not located in any particular direction. He is everywhere and on every side,
equally. This completely repudiates the pagan and the Christian practice of
"orientation." 'Many Greek temples were also designed to face the rising sun.
In the earliest Christian basilicas at Rome the apse was placed at the west end, so
that the priest who served the altar from behind, facing the congregation, himself
faced the east and the rising sun ... .It is more probable that his orientation was
due to an underlying tradition whose roots go far back beyond the origin of
Christianity/ (EBr. XVI, p. 899) 'Orientation in ritual observance is perhaps most
pronounced in Asia, which may be more or less indirectly the source from which
the European observance is derived. (ERE. X. p. 85)

520. i. <?., He pervades and encompasses all directions, and is not condi-
tioned or encompassed by them. The epithet emphasizes God's all-pervading
presence as well as intimate relation to His creatures.

521. (so that He knows best which direction or place to appoint for QJbla).

522. t. e., misguided people such as the Christians.

523. (and who is himself a God). According to the Christians, God 'the
Son is the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is the only begotten and
eternal Son of the Father. He is consubstantial with the Father.' (CD. p. 912)
The first two articles of the Apostle's creed run : — 'I believe in God, the Father
Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our
Lord.' The form of the words J j^.j| 'hath taken unto him' suggests that the
reference is, in particular, to the 'Adoptionisl' Christianity which held that Christ
as Man was only the adoptive Son of God.' (CD. p. 13) The Adoptionists hold
'that Christ was a mere man, miraculously conceived indeed, but adopted as the
Son of God only by the supreme degree in which he had been filled with the divine
wisdom and power.' (UHW. IV. p. 2331) They asserted that 'Jesus was a man
imbued with the Holy Spirit's inspiration from his baptism and so attaining such a
perfection of holiness that he was adopted by God and exalted to Divine dignity.'
(EBr. I. p. 177)

524. (from all these derogatory limitations!). An exclamation of protest
against the degarding implications of the doctrine of 'Sonship.'

525. i. e., all His creatures, high and low. He is the Creator of all that
exists ; its sole Maker and Master. That alone describes the correct relationship
between Him and the world. To ascribe to Him the grossly materialistic relation-
ship of fatherhood and sonship, in however etherealised a form, is the height of
absurdity.

526. (by their very make, whether they will or not).

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 11

ri£X rj\

u, Pisa* % &. ci^ii $ i i^i o& M $ %0^^'S i t

-m. <tVfc j ^ '< / a , ■ 'if v '\X\i .y<(- »' /A:' -"rti ^i*»i ^*»^f s ' <vi

526

1 1 7. Lrt£*j. . . *,»^ ) The Originator 527 of the heavens and the earth ; 62
and whenever He decrees an affair, He merely says to it : 529 'be' : 530 and it
becomes. 831

118 ' (islV^fcJ* ■ 'lP 5) And tnose wno do not know 53 - say : why does
not God speak to us direct™ or why does not a sign of our choice come to
us ? 534 Thus have said those before them, 535 the like of their saying ;.**• similar
are their hearts. 537 We have already manifested signs 538 to the people who
would be convinced. 539

119- (fwusv^dl. . ,V\) Surely We have sent thee 540 with the truth 541 as a
bearer of glad tidings 643 and a warner,* 43 and thou shalt not be questioned about
inmates of the Flame. 544

120. (j&oJ. ...J.) And the Jews will never be pleased with thee, 545
nor the Christians, 540 unless thou follow their faith. 547 Say thou : surely the
guidance of Allah, 518 that is the true guidance. And wast thou to follow their
desires after what has come to thee of the knowledge, 519 there will be for thee
neither a protector nor a helper 550 against Allah.

121. ( .-w^aajl. . vnJJJl) Those to whom We have given the Book and
who recite it as it ought to be recited, 551 they shall believe in it : 551 and those
who disbelieve in it, those alone shall be the losers.

527. *j^ 'is the Originator of the creation, according to His own will, not
after the similitude of anything pre-existing/ (LL) He is thus the absolute Author, —
not a mere manufacturer or designer as conceived by several pagan peoples —
Independent of any and every material or pattern. Even the Jews, under the
influence of Alexandrian philosophy and swayed by Platonic and Neoplatonic ideas,
had come to regard the act of creation as carried into effect through intermediate
agencies, 'sub-deities, as it were, with independent existence and a will of their
own.' (JE. IV. p. 338)

528. (and all else). This implies the idea of Priority. If He is the Originator
of all, He must also be prior to all. He must be thought of as before every thing.

529. i. e., the thing proposed, and as yet non-existent except in His
knowledge.

530. *". e., come into being. There is nothing either of matter or of soul
co-eternal with Him or having any independent self-existence. Everything comes
into being only when He wills.

531. (by a single act of His all-powerful will without needing any material
or helper).

532. f. <?., the pagans of Arabia who had no revealed religion.

533. j. e., why are we not the recipients of His revelations ?

534. (of our choice; such as we desire and demand). £jf is here a wonder,
an event striking and unusual, evincing direct Divine intervention on behalf of
the Prophet, who of course ranked the purity of his life and the excellence of his
message far above those 'wonders' which can have at times only a thaumaturgic
value.

535. (to the prophets of their times).

536. Cf. NT : — 'Philip saith unto him, Lord ! show us the Father, and it
sufficeth us/ (Jn. 14:8) 'The Pharisees also with the Sadducees cam?, and
tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven/ (Mt. 16: 1)

537. (in moral blindness). Cf. the NT :— A wicked and adulterous genera-
tion seeketh after a sign ; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of
the Prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed/ (Mt. 16:4) 'Ye stiffnecked
and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your
fathers did, so do ye/ (Ac. 7:51)

538. Not a solitary sign (in the singular), but many and varied signs (in
the plural). A 'sign' is anything that goes to confirm and substantiate the claims of
the prophet. Thus 'signs' include facts* arguments, miracles, verification of
previous prophecies and the excellence of teachings.

539. *'. *., only they can benefit by the manifest signs who are earnest in
their search after truth, and not they who are blinded by malice or spite. To those
addicted to doubt and scepticism all signs and 'wonders' are useless.

540. (O Prophet!).

541. (to be preached to mankind).

542. (to the believers).

543. (to the rejecters).

544. (so do not grieve over their fate or their doings). The holy Prophet
in the tenderness of his heart was exceedingly solicitous for the unbelievers. He is
told now that his responsibility as a Prophet ended with his preaching the true
doctrines and expounding the Message. Everyone was accountable for his own
actions. Why should the Prophet burden his heart with anxiety on their account ?

545. (however great may be thy concessions to them).

546. (however tender thou mayest be to them).

//. Surat-ul Baqarah _ 79

547. (and renounce thy own faith, true and divine).

548. (and not your own concoctions).

549. 'The knowledge' here signifies Divine Revelation, which is the highest
and surest of knowledge above all doubt.

550. The argument addressed to the Prophet in effect is this :— You cannot
by any means win the support and goodwill of the Christians and the Jews, since it
is dependent on your accepting and adopting their religions which, as they exist, are
untrue and unsubstantial to the core. But your acceptance of such untruths is
impossible, since it involves your being accursed of God, which you most emphati-
cally are not. Your enjoyment of the highest Divine blessings and favours is self-
evident; hence your deviation from the right course is an absurdity.

551. i. e., with the reverent spirit and with open and unbiased mind.

552. i. <?., in the Qtir'an, or the true religion, in due course of time. The
pronoun in &, has for its antecedent j^Jb in verse 119, and thus refers to the
Qur'an (Th) '

80 __^__^^ Part '

SECTION 15 '

12 2. (^^JLsJ!. . • t y-»~>) Children of Israjl ! remember My favour with
which I favoured you, 583 and that I preferred you above the worlds. 654

12 3. (^jj^Ju. . .!j&l 3 ) And fear a Day when not in aught will a soul
satisfy for a/70?/7<?/-sou,l 6 " nor will compensation be accepted for it, nor will inter-
cession profit it, nor will they be helped.

124. d^-^ '••••>' 3 ) And re-call when his Lord tried IbrShlm 666 with
commands; 55 ' then he fulfilled them. 568 Allah said: 'surely I am going to
make thee a leader of mankind', 668 Ibrahim™ said, and from my progeny too'.
Allah said : 'My promise 561 shall not reach the ungodly'. 50 *

12 5. (^jswJj. . .ii 5 ) And re-call when We appointed the House 503 a
resort 664 to mankind 665 and a place of security, 560 and said : 667 'take the station
of Ibrahim 568 for a place of prayer. 660 And We covenanted wiih IbrHhJm and
Isma'll 570 saying : 'purify you twain My House 671 for those who will circumam-
bulate it and those who will stay 572 and those who will bow down and prostrate
thumselves'.

553. Seenn. 174, 197 above.-

554. See n. 198 ff. above. The preference, the 'election/ the chief glory of
Israel, lay in their being the standard-bearers, in all antiquity, of pure monotheism..
At the close of the recapitulation of their history, they are fittingly once more
reminded of the secret of their past glory and eminence.

555. See n. 201 fT. above.

556. (to demonstrate to the world his absolute devotion to Him). Abraham
of the Bible, the great prophet and patriarch, first of Ghaldea and latterly of Syria,
Palestine and Arabia, was the common progenitor of the Arabs and the Israelites.
The name is personal, not tribal, and the personality is real and historical— a
character singularly majestic and attractive,— not an ethnological myth. Referring
to the patriarchs, Abraham and other founders of the Hebrew race and nation,
says a modern authority :— 'The modern critical theory that these fathers of the

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 81

Hebrews are mythical, representing either personified tribes or Ganaanite deities
has been disproved by recent archaeological discoveries/ (VJE. p. 505) His dates of
birth and death are, according to the latest computation by Sir Charles Marston,
2160 B. C, and 1985 B. G. respectively. Age, according to the Bible, was 175

years. (Ge. 25:7)

557. (of mandate and prohibition).

558. (demonstrating his devotion of God).

559. (in. faith ; and a model, a pattern, in true religion and piety). And a
leader of mankind in this sense he continues to be till this very day, being the
accepted head of the three great peoples of the world— the Muslims, the Christians
and the Jews. 'He is not, in the first instance, the progenitor of the people but the
founder and leader of a religious movement. Like Mohammad, some 2,000 years
later, he stood at the head of a great movement among the Semitic peoples and
tribes/ (EBr. I p. 60) Cf. the OT:—

'Now the Lord had said unto Abram I will make of thco a great

nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing:
and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that cursedi thee : and in thee
shall all families of the earth be blessed/ (Ge. 12 : 1-3) 'Abraham shall surely become
a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him/
(18: 18).

560. I. e., begged ; asked prayerfully.

561. (to bless thee and thy progeny).

562. i. e., My promise extends to only such of your offspring as shall be
believers ; it does not comprehend the unbelievers. The heirs of the promise must
earn it. 'In the history of his descendants there were many backslidings into idol-
worship yet there was always a remnant that kept to the straight path/

(Woolley, Abraham, p. 290).

563. (at Makka), *'. e., the Ka'ba. 'A shrine of immemorial antiquity, one
which Diodorous Siculus, a hundred years before the Christian era, tells us, was even
then "most ancient, and most exceedingly revered by the whole Arab race."
(Bosworth Smith, Mohammed and Mohammedanism, p. 166).

564. (and a sanctuary).

565. Imagine the number of the pilgrims that have been visiting the House
in a reverential spirit, for all these hundreds and thousands of years since the time
of Abraham !

566. 'At all events, long before Mohammed we find Mecca established in
the twofold quality of a commercial centre and a privileged holy place, surrounded
by an inviolable territory/ (EBr. XV. p. 150)

567. (to the Muslim commuuity). This refers to a much later period of
history. The Holy Qur'an, as already noted, is not an essay in chronology. At
times it relates in a single sentence, for some special purpose in view, incidents

separated from each other by centuries.

568. »*. e., the spot where he stood to pray. A small cupola supported on
iron pillars opposite the silver door of the Ka'ba still marks the spot.

569. (O Muslims !). A short prayer of two Rak'ats is still performed at the
spot after the ceremony of circumambulating the House is over.

570. The first-born of Abraham and the progenitor of the Arab race.
(Probable date 2074—1937 B. G.) Note that the Divine promise is given not to
Abraham alone, but to Isma'll as well ; and this finds full confirmation in the OT : —
•And Abraham said unto God : O that Ishmael might live before thee ! And God

said '• As for Ishmael, I have heard thee : Behold ! I have blessed him, and

will make him fruitful twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a

great nation/ (Ge. 17 : 18-20) 'And God heard the voice of the lad ; and the angel
of God called to Hagar out of Heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar ?
fear not ; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the

lad, and hold him in thine hand ; for I will make him a great nation And

God was with the lad ; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness. 5 (21 : 17-21)

571. (of idols and impurities and what does not become it). 'Ishmael was
looked upon as rejected and the covenant made with the children of his half-brother,
Isaac (the 'Israelites). Yet it was that rejected stone, the black stone that became
the bedstone of the Ka'ba, the place where Hagar and Ishmael were cast out/
(Lady Gobbold, Pilgrimage to Mecca, pp. 133-134).

572. (in that Holy City or in that Holy Mosque for devotional purposes).

//. Surat- ul Baqarah . 83

126. (^-aJl. . •& ,) And recall when IbrShlm said : 'my Lord ! make
this city a place of security* 73 , and provide its inhabitants with fruits 574 — such of
them as will believe in Allah and the Last Day 575 . Allah said : 'and whoso will
disbelieve, him also I shall give enjoyment for a while 576 ; and then I shall drive
him to the torment of the Fire, an ill-abode'.

127. (*M\* • ;<it ) And recall when Ibrahim was raising 577 the founda-
tions of the House, 578 andislrriS'Tl also 579 praying : 'Our Lord ! accept from us, 580
surely Thou alone art the Hearer, 581 the Knower I 582

128. (*&=*: Jl. . .Uo) 0ur Lord ! make us twain submissive 583 to Thee,
and of our progeny 584 a community submissive 585 to Thee, 586 and show us our
rites, 587 and relent toward us. 588 Surely Thou alone art Relenting, Merciful.

129. ((Wj^aJl. . .U>)) 0ur Lord ! raise up forthem a Messenger 580 from
among them, 59 °"w/7o will recite to them Thy revelations 591 and will teach them the
Book and wisdom, 582 and will cleanse them. 693 Surely Thou alone art Mighty, 694
Wise I ' 595

SECTION 16

130.. ( .jjuaJUJl. • vv- 5 ) And who sha " be averse from the faith of
Ibrahim save one who befools himself I And assuredly We chose him 596 in this
world, 597 and surely he in the Hereafter shall be among the righteous. 598

131. ( . ia -'-'I- . .3!) Recall when his Lord said unto him : 'submit', he
said : 'I submit to the Lord of the worlds'. 599

573. The prayer was granted in full. Hence in the law of Islam it is
forbidden, within the sacred precincts, to shed any human blood and to hunt or
shoot any game, as also to cut or pull out plants. See nh. 563, 566 above.

574. To realize in full the significance of this part of the prayer it is neces-
sary to remember that the territory of Makka was, and is largely even now, almost
a desert uncultivated and incapable of bearing fruits or vegetation. The barren and
unpromising land is thus described by Muir:— 'The general features or rugged

rocks without a trace of foliage, and sandy, stormy glens from which the peasant

looks in vain for the grateful returns of tillage. Even at the present day

Mecca can hardly boast a garden or cultivated field, and only here and there a tree/
(Life of Mohammad, p. 2)

575. Abraham (peace be on him !) thus qualified his prayer this time in

view of verse 124, which affirmed that the Divine covenant did not extend to the
evildoers.

576. i. e., while he is yet alive. Such is the grace of the Lord on this Holy
City and its inhabitants. Even the rebels among them are dealt with most merci-
fully while yet in this world.

577. Note that Abraham was 'raising/ not 'laying/ the foundation. The
House existed long long before— since the time of Adam, according to traditions-
Abraham and Isma'll only rebuilt it on the old foundations. "The traditions of the
Ka'ba ran back to Ishmael and Abraham, nay, even to Seth and Adam ; and as
its very name, "Beit Allah" shows, it might in its first rude shape have been erected
by some such ancient patriarch as he who raised a pillar of rough stone where in
his sleep he had seen the angels ascending, and descending, and called it "Bethel" or
"Beit Allah," (Bosworth Smith, Mohammed and Mohammedanism, p. 166).

578. i. e., the Ka'ba in the city of Makka. 'A very high antiquity must be

assigned to the main features of the religion of Mecca Tradition represents

the -Ka'ba as from time immemorial the scene of pilgrimage from all quarters of

Arabia So extensive a homage must have had its beginnings in an extremely

remote age/ (Muir, Life of Mohammad, Intro, pp. cii-ciii). 'The temple of Mecca
was a place of worship and in singular veneration with the Arabs from great anti-
quity and many centuries before Mohammad/ (SPD. p. 182).

579. In Islam of course a true and honoured prophet of God like his father
Abraham (peace be on both !) But even according to the Jews, his worst slanderers,
'He who sees Ishmael in a dream will have his prayer answered by God/ (JE. VI.
p. 468). His mother Hajira (Hagar), a princess of royal blood, a daughter of the
reigning Pharaoh of Egypt, was an embodiment of piety and virtue. Observe the
unwilling admissions of the Jews :— 'Hagar is held up as an example of the high

degree of godliness prevalent in Abraham's time, for Hagar was not

frightened by the sight of the Divine messenger. Her fidelity is praised for even
after Abraham sent her away she kept the marriage vow Another explana-
tion of the same name is 'to adorn' because she was adorned with piety and good
deeds. It was Isaac who/after the death of Sarah, went to bring back Hagar to
the house of his father/ (p. 138) 'As a token of his love for Sarah the King deeded
his entire property to her, and gave her the land of Goshen as her hereditary
possession ...... He gave her also his own daughter as slave'. (XL p. 55).

580. (this building as a humble token of submission on our part). Remark-
able is the note of true humility ringing in the prayer of the two great prophets

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 85

throughout.

581. (of our words and utterances).

582. (of our inmost feelings, and of the purity of our motives).

583. (yet more). 'Submissive/ for 'Muslims' they already were, hence the
necessity of rendering .x*.W b Y 'y et more submissive/ •Islam-' is absolute
surrender to the Divine Will.

584. Note the word 'our'. 'Our progeny' is obviously the progeny of
Abraham through Isma'll. Compare the saying of Jesus (on whom be peace !) as
recorded in the 'Gospel of Barnabas' :— 'Believe me, for verily I say to you, that
the promise was made in Ishmael, not in Isaac' (GB. p. 103). 'The promise was
made in Ishmael and not in Isaac' (p. 331).

585. kj^« iUl is literally 'Muslim community.' 'Islam', says one of its
worst modern detractors and a Jew 'began with Ishmael, the father of the Arabs.'
(Torry, Jewish Foundation of Islam, p. vi). •

586. A Muslim and submissive nation, thus, was to be raised from the
Ismailites, i. e., the Arabs; and not from their cousins, the Israelites. Compare,
again, the words of Jesus (on whom be peace !) :— 'Verily, I say the son of Abraham
was Ishmael, from whom must be descended the Messiah promised to Abraham,
that in him should all the tribes of the earth be blessed.' (GB. p. 459).

587. i. e., our ways of devotion, and ordinances of pilgrimage and worship.
^£s>.)]lSJ.K* ' are tne religious rites and ceremonies of the pilgrimage.' (LL)

588. (in forgiveness, grace and mercy).

589. Significant is the singular number of j^ i. e., 'a' messenger. The
blessed prophets are praying for the advent of 'a' messenger and not for messengers
(in the plural) from among their descendants. Hence the historical fact of there
appearing only one prophet among the Ismailites.

590. Mark the very clear reference in the OT reiterated in the NT. to the
advent of a prophet from among their brethren of Israel, i. e., the Ismaelites. 'I
will raise up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee.' (Dt. 18: 18)
Moses truly said unto the fathers : A prophet shall the Lord, your God, raise up
unto you of your brethren, like unto me.' (Ac. 3 : 22).

591. (exactly as he receives them).

592. (by his own precepts and example). ^jCa. primarily is what prevents,
or restrains, from 'ignorant behaviour,' but is usually used in the sense of 'wisdom.'
It also means 'knowledge in matters of religion, and. the acting agreeably therewith ;
and understanding !' (LL).

593. (of sin and unbelief). The mission of this Ismailite prophet of God
was thus to be fourfold :—

(a) He will recite and deliver to his people the revelation exactly as he
receives them, and will, in this sense, be a trusted Divine
Messenger.

(b) He will not only transmit the Message but will also expound,

interpret and illustrate the Teaching he is commanded to
impart, and would, in this phase of his life, be a Divine Teacher.

he will also unravel to the elect of his people the deeper signifi-
cance of the Divine wisdom, and will initiate them in the
profundities of spirit and the subtleties of soul. He will, on
this account, be known as an exponent of Divine Wisdom.
(<i) He will, by his words and deeds, precept and practice, raise and
uplift the moral tone of his people, will purge them of vice and
immorality, and will make them pious and godly. He will in
this capacity be called a Divine Reformer and Law-giver.
He will thus be a representative of God with men, and will be endowed with a
personality of his^ own — a personality so full of wonderful achievements in this
respect, as to wrest even from unfriendly observers, the appellation of 'that most
successful of all prophets and religious personalities.' (EBr. XV. 1 1th Ed. p. 898).

594. i. e., Able to grant every prayer.

595. i. e., Granting only such prayers as are, in His infinite Wisdom, proper.
59G. (on that very score; as the reward for his true monotheism). 'Fear not,

Abram : I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward/ (Ge. 15: 1). 'And he
believed in the Lord ; and he counted it to him for righteousness/ (15 : 6) ; Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness/ (Ro. 4:3): 'Even
as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness/
(Ga. 3 : 6)

597. (as our apostle and the leader of religion).

598. (for whom are the highest of ranks and the biggest of rewards).

599. (with my heart and soul).

87
//. Surat-ul-Baqarah

*&» &

132. ( ,. w, . . -055) And Ibrahim enjoined the same 000 to his sons and
50 did Ynqub^a/so saymg : '0 my sons : surely Allah has chosen for you the
religion ; 602 so die not except you are Muslims'. 603

133. ( **Xu*«. . .*ZX$ \) Were you 604 witnesses when death presented
itself to Ya'qub, and when he said to his sons: what will you worship after
me?' 606 They said : 'we shall worship thy God, 606 the God of thy fathers, Ibrahim
and IsmS'Tl and Is'haq 607 the one and only God, and to Him we are submissive. 008

134. ( J-*ju. . .l_Oj) They are a community who have passed away ; 600
to them shalfbe what they earned, 610 and to you what you earn 611 ; and you 612
shall not be questioned, as to what they were wont to work. 613

135 - L-v-V^' • •tytf 5) And the V 6 " sa V : become Jews or Christians,
and you shall be guided. 616 Say thou 616 : 'Aye I we follow the faith of lbr§him, 617
the upright, 618 and he was not of the polytheists'. 618

600. (faith and religion). 'He ordered all his children and grandchildren to
avoid magic, idolatry, and all kinds of impurity, and to walk in the path of right-
eousness/ (JE. I. 87)

601. Jacob of the Bible; of Israel (on him be peace ! ) a Prophet of God

and a grandson of Abraham.

602. (of monotheism). 'So far as the Hebrews are concerned, or rather
their forbears, the Semites, it is not necessary to "assume" anything since the
evidence of the ancient cuneiform writing . . . testifies to the fact that Monotheism
was also their original religion.-' (Marston, The Bible is True, p. 25)

603. Or, 'those who submit/ Islam, in its essence, is thus not a new reli-
gion at all but a continuation and restoration of the old religion of Abraham,
Jacob, and other prophets of old.

604. (O Jews and Christians ! who wrangle with the Muslims concerning

their faith).

4 605. 'Jacob gave three commandments to his children before his death:
(1) that they should not worship idols; (2) that they should not blaspheme the

name of God; and (3) that they should not let a pagan touch his hearse/ (JE.
VII. p. 24)

606. 'He said to them, .... I fear now that among you, too, there is one
that harbours the intention to serve idols. 'The twelve men spake and said : Hear,

Israel our Father, the Eternal, our God is the One Only God. As thy heart is
one and united in avouching the Holy One, blessed be He, to be thy God, as also
are our hearts one and united in avouching Him/ (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews II.
p. 141)

607. Isaac of the Bible. The second son of Abraham. Born in 2060 B.C.
Died in 1880 B.C. 'At the beginning he is simply 'the God of Abraham/ and as
the generations pass, he becomes known "the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of
Jacob," (Woolley, Abraham, p. 235)

608. (In the faith of Islam). The basic, cardinal doctrine of Islam is none
other than the unity of God, proclaimed and preached by all the prophets of old,
only restated, reinstated, and restored, not originated by the holy Prophet of Islam
(peace be on him !) Cf. the OT : — 'And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him,

1 am the Lord : and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the
name of God Almighty/ (Ex. 6 : 2-3).

609. (and they can be of no help to their living descendants in the way of
either rewarding virtue or punishing vice)

610. (by their righteousness and virtue).

611. (by your misdeeds). The Jews presumed too much on their ancestral
merit, and stood badly in need of a powerful reminder. Their most striking
tendency was "to fall back upon national privilege as a substitute for real reforma-
tion of life. We can see alike from the Gospels and from St. Paul how constantly
the Jews had upon their lips, 'We have Abraham as our father." (DB. II. p. 606)

612. (O Jews !). The Jews in contrast to the Christian concept of 'original
sin' had coined a new term 'original virtue/ 'The doctrine asserts that God visits
the virtues of the father upon the children for His Name's sake and as a mark of
grace/ (JE. XII. p. 441)

613. Compare and contrast the Jewish doctrine: — 'Grace is given to some
because of the merits of their ancestors, to others because of the merits of their
descendants/ (JE. VI. p. 60). 'The hopes of the individual Jew were based on
the piety of holy ancestors: "We have Abraham as our father." (EBr. XIII.
11th Ed., p. 184) 'In the Jewish scheme of salvation, the excellences of the three
patriarchs (those of the matriarchs also, though this idea is far less emphasised), and
indeed of all the righteous Israelites of the past are supposed to be thrown into a
common stock for the benefit of their people, collectively and individually, in every
age. The salvation which the Jew might possibly not attain in virtue of his own
life may be assured to him by the merit of the righteous dead. Even as a living
wine is supported by a lifeless prop, and is thereby kept verdant and flourishing, so

//. SOrat-uhBaqarah 89

the living Israel is upheld by the virtues of the fathers who sleep in the the dust/
(ERE. XL p. 144) See also Barton, The Religion of Israel, p. 124, where it is
distinctly stated that among the Hebrews, it was the family or clan, and not the
individual, that came to be regarded as the moral unit.

614. »'. «., the Jews and the Christians.

615. (and thus saved). See n. 547 ff. above.

616. (to them, on behalf of the Muslims, O Prophet!).

617. The Muslims alone are the faithful followers of Abraham, and Islam
is, in its essential aspects, but a revival of the ancient faith of Abraham.

618. 'He was a man of incomparable virtue, and honoured by God in a
manner agreeable to his piety towards Him/ ("Ant/* I. 17: 1) 'The distinctive
features of his religious life . . . were the devotion to One God, the abandonment
of the polytheism of his ancestors, and the adoption of circumcision as the symbol of
a pure cult/ (DB. I. p. 16) 'Abraham's religion was characterised by abstraction,
and was yet personal. The One Great God, throned in Heaven, honoured without
priests and temple, the Almighty and all-comprehending One, to whom the faithful
have personal access — this is Abraham's "God/' (EBr. I. p. 60) '^jj^. literally is
'Inclining to a right state of tendency. . . . and particularly inclining from any false
religion, to the true religion/ (LL)

619. 'He was the first that ventured to publish this notion, that there was but
one God, the Creator of the universe/ ("Ant/' I. 7 : 1)

90 p art I

-Off __ *ZL

136. ( ,^.w». . .!_jV') Say : 620 'we believe in Allah and what has been
sent down to us and what was sent down to Ibrahim and lsma"'il and Is'haq and
Yaqub and the tribes 6 - 1 and what was given to Musa 622 and 'Isa, 623 and what
was given to prophets - 1 from their Lord ! we make no difference between any
of them, 6L ' 5 and to Him we are submissive'. 026

137. {**&&. . . ,,Lj) So if they 627 believe in the like of what you believe
in, surely they are guided ; but if they turn away, then they are but in schism. 628
So Allah will suffice thee 629 against them 630 ; and He is Hearer, 631 Knower. 632

138 - ( »**«• . .Jflic***) Ours 033 is the dye of Allah 634 and who is better
at dyeing than Allah ? 035 And we are His worshippers. 836

139. ( , ir aJjs^ . .Jj) Say thou 637 : do you contend with us regarding
Allah ? 638 whereas He is our Lord even as He is your Lord. 639 And to us our
works, and to you your works, and we are His devotees.

140. ( ,,».U*?« . .,j) Or, do you say 640 that Ibrahim and Isma'il and Is'haq
and Yaqub and the tribes 041 were Jews or Christians ? 642 Say thou : are you
the more knowing or is Allah? 643 And who is more unjust than he who conceals
Allah's testimony 644 that is with him ?«« And Allah is not unmindful of what

you do. 646

141. ( .1,. ,. . .i_£JL>) They are a community who have passed away : to
them shall be what they earned, and to you what you earn and you will not be
questioned as to what they were wont to work. 647

620. (O Muslims!)

621. i. <?., the twelve tribes of Israel who had their own prophets and
apostles.

622. The founder of Judaism as a creed.

623. The founder of true Christianity.

624. (in general). Observe once again that Islam is, in no sense, an inno-
vation but a mere continuity of the faith of Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, Moses,

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah ^ 1

Jesus and all other true prophets and apostles.

625. (by believing in some and disbelieving in others). In this way is the
fundamental unity of all the revealed religions emphasised, and reverence for their
human founders inculcated.

626. (as Muslims). 'The unity of God . . . and the unity of the religious,
civil, judicial, and military administration, in one organ on earth, entitled the
Mohammedans to assume, with justice, the name of Unitarians, a title in which they
particularly glorified/ (Finlay, Greece under the Romans, p. 354)

627. i, c., the unbelievers in general and the Jews and the Christians in
particular.

628. i. e... at great variance with, and far removed from truth.

629. (O Prophet!)

630. i. e., against their mischief and violence. By 'them' are meant the
enemies of Islam and the Prophet.

631. (of their open avowal of hostility).

632. (of their secret machinations).

633. i. e., the Muslims/

634. i, e,, the religion of Islam ; surrender to the Divine will. That is the
true 'baptism of water/ 'The dye of Allah' is grace on His part and absolute
surrender on ours. &J^ is also 'Religion' and *JLJl&L*-o means the religion of
God, . . . because its effect appears in him who has it like the dye in the garment ;
or because it intermingles in the heart like the dye in the garment/ (LL)

635. (so without true faith in Him and His apostles, the sacrament of
baptism, of paramount importance both in Judaism and Christianity, is meaning-
less).

636. (to the exclusion of all false deities, false doctrines, and false rites).

637. (on behalf of the Muslims, O Prophet !)

638. (O unbelieving Jews and Christians! fondly imagining that He
cannot have chosen a non-Jew and a non-Christian as His messenger).

639. (so that He may choose as His messenger whomever He will).

640. (O unbelieving Jews and Christians !)

641. i. e., the prophets among Jewish tribes. See n. 621, above.

642. (and not strict monotheists) i. e., is it your position, O Jews and
Christians! that the prophets of old and the patriarchs belonged to the Jewish, or
Christian cults in contradistinction to the true monotheism of Islam ?

643. (whose testimony is that they were monotheists, pure and simple, that
is to say, true Muslims). 'The patriarchs acknowledged but one God, and to Him
as invisible and supernal they offered sacrifices upon altars without image and with-
out temples under the open sky/ (Ewald, History of Israel, p. 460).

644. (of the true Islam of Abraham and all the prophets of Israel).

645. (as given in His Scriptures).

646. (O Jews and Christians!). So that a parrot-like repetition of the
names of the patriarchs and other illustrious ancestors, without adopting the faith
they had and without following their ways, would do no good. Not ancestral but
individual merit to be counted upon.

647. See n. 609 ff. above.

92 p a rt II

,ss

PART II

SECTION 17

142. (^sx«««, . .J,a*~ ) 'Presently will the fools among the people 1 say 2 :
what has turned them 3 away from this Qiblah 4 on which they had been 5 ? Say
thou 6 : Allah's 7 is the east 8 and the west 9 ; He guides whom He will 10 to the
straight path. 11

143. (fj^j. . **&)££ ,) And thus 12 We have made you 13 a community
justly— balanced, 14 that you might be witnesses 16 to mankind," and that the
messenger might be a witness 17 to you. And We did not appoint the Qiblah 18
thou hast had 19 save in order that We might know demonstrably him 20 who
follows the messenger from him who turns back upon his heels. 21 And assuredly
the change is grievous save to them whom Allah has guided. 22 And Allah is not
to let your faith go wasted 23 ; surely Allah is to mankind Tender, Merciful. 24

1. i. e., those without a proper understanding of the religious truths.
Special reference here is to the Jews and the Christians who took great offence at
the Muslims' change of the direction of prayer from the Temple at Jerusalem to
the Ka'ba in Makka.

2. (in their great chagrin)

3. i. e., the Muslims.

4. itp from the root f^jj 'to be before* is the point in the direction of
which acts of worship ought to be performed. Cf. Ps. 5:7, 1 Ki. 8: 29, Dn. 12:11
Jon. 2 : 4, where the Bible speaks of the Temple at Jerusalem as the place towards
which worship is to be rendered.

5. (So far), ». e., the Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem which was the first
qiblah of Islam. Sixteen months after his arrival in Madlna, the Prophet received
the Divine command, as contained in the verse 144, to abandon Jerusalem for

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 93

Ka'ba in Makka. This intensely mortified the Jews who had hoped that the
Prophet would continue praying towards their qiblah and now took it that the last
link that bound Islam to Judaism was broken.

6. (O Prophet ! to the objectors).

7. (the absolute Master of all directions and their sole Author who has
made no direction or point of the compass particularly sacrosanct).

8. See P. I. nn. 516, 519.

9. See P. I. n. 517.

10. (in His infinite wisdom and in accordance with His universal Plan).

11. (by disposing his mind, as in this particular instance, to obey implicitly
the Divine command).

12. i. e. t in a similar manner : not only in this particular respect, but in
every other respect.

13. (O Muslim Community !) J.^. also means, 'He exalted or ennobled/
So that phrase may also be rendered : 'We have exalted you, or ennobled you, as a
nation conforming to the just mean ; or, just or equitable, or good.' (LL).

14. \y,„* JU| are a people who have hit the golden mean ; not inclined to
either extreme ; well-poised in every virtue. 'A nation conforming, or conformable,
to the just mean ; just ; equitable'. (LL).

15. (as testifiers, promulgators and carriers of the Divine truths).

16. i. e., the rest of mankind. The Muslims are the standard, the norm, by
which all people are to be judged on the Day of Judgment.

17. The Prophet's absolutely pure and perfect life will serve as the norm,
the standard, by which the Muslims will be judged.

18. Note that, for the Muslims what the doctrine of qiblah means is not a
turning to a point of the compass, but to a definite place.

19. (hitherto). Ka'ba as the permanent qiblah of Islam always formed a
part of the Divine decree, Jerusalem being only a temporary qiblah.

20. i. e., bring him to light.

21. This temporary appointment of Jerusalem as qiblah and then its aban-
donment served as a crucial test. The true Muslims of course remained firm ; the
waverers and vacillators retraced their steps to unbelief. The phrase &Ji ,Sx JU J.
signifies, 'He turned back, or receded from a thing to which he had betaken
himself/ (LL).

22. i. e„ those who are endowed with good sense and are not blinded by
passion or prejudice.

23. i. e., He will not suffer it to go without its reward while you prayed
towards Jerusalem. There was an apprehension among the Muslims that the
devotions hitherto performed with faces towards Jerusalem might be wasted. Their
doubts are set at rest and they are reassured.

24. (So how can such a One allow the devotions of His devotees to go
unrewarded ?).

94 Part II

'>24\ : 'MX-

4
I

1 44 (i^ 5 J -* J ^* • "*?) Assured| y We hav e seen thee turning thy face 26 to the
heaven ; 26 so We shall surely cause thee to turn towards the Qiblah which will
please thee. 27 Turn then thy face 28 towards the sacred Mosque ; 28 and turn,' 10
wherever you be, your faces towards it. 31 And surely those who are given the
Book know this to be the truth and from their Lord. 32 Allah is not unmindful of
what they work. 33

145 - (^j^lU&JI. . .^XJ 5 ) And shouldst thou 34 bring to them who are given
the Book every sign, they would not follow thy Qiblah 36 : neither art thou to be a
follower of their Qiblah, 8 * nor does one section of them follow the Qiblah of the
other. 37 And shouldst thou 38 yield to their desires, 38 after what has come to thee
of the true knowledge, 40 then surely thou wilt become one of the transgressors.

146 " (i^W*** ' 'c^^O Tnose t0 whom We have given the Book 41 recog-
nize him 42 even as they recognize their own children, 43 and surely a party of them
hide the truth 44 while they know. 45

147 - (^jjuJU . .^ysaJl) The truth is from thy Lord ; do not be thou then
of the doubters. 46

25. (O Prophet!)

26. (looking up for a revelation). The Prophet intensely longed to have
Ka'ba, the Sanctuary of Abraham, as the qiblah of his people, but of course was
helpless in the absence of a clear Divine command to that effect.

27. i. e., Ka'ba. Here is the promise to appoint Ka'ba the qiblah of Islam.

28. Here is the immediate fulfilment of the promise.

29. (at Makka), i. e., Ka'ba.

30. (O Muslims!).

31. (While praying, in whatsoever direction it might happen to be).. 'A
birdVeye view of the Moslem world at the hour of prayer would present the spec-
tacle of a scries of concentric circles of worshippers radiating from the Ka'ba at
Makka and covering an ever-widening area from Sierra Leone to Canton and from
Tobolsk to Gape Town/ (Hitti. op. cit. pp. 130-131).

//. SUrat-ul-Baqdrah 95

32. The Jews had traditions, handed down from their fathers, purporting
that the J'inal Prophet would have Ka'ha, the House consecrated by Abraham, as
his qiblah.

33. (by way of their wilful suppression of truth).

34. (O Prophet!)

35. i. e., no amount of signs, wonders and arguments would induce the Jews
and the Christians to follow the qiblah of the- Muslims.

36. i. e., thou hast a distinctive qiblah for thy own community. The Prophet
'desired that thft Muslims should have a qiblah of their own, which would symbolise
their unity and their spiritual independence, from the ritual of non-Muslims. In
fact, the subsequent command to Muslims to face in their prayers a central point
common to them alone, has powerfully contributed to that distinctive feeling of
unity which to this day, in spite of so many differences and sectarian dissensions,
binds the Muslims together into one single ummah and makes them realise that they
arc a group of their own, different from the rest of the world. It is impossible to
over-estimate this feeling of unity.' (ASR. I. p. 60).

37. The people of the Book are themselves divided in this respect. The
Jews turn towards Jerusalem, and the Christians towards the east.

38. (O Prophet!)

39. The very assumption involves a moral impossibility, and is contrary to
the prophetic nature, and is therefore to be ruled out on the face of it.

40. i. e. t of Divine knowledge ; of Revelation and Prophecy.

41. i. e., the Jews.

42. (as the true Prophet of God, by the description of him given in their

Books).

43. »*. e., the prophets of their own race. The Jews are here charged with
denying the Prophet after their recognizing him, on the strength of clear prophe-
cies in their Books, as clearly as they recognized the prophets of Israel. The plural
pronoun *» in *a>-»Uj| is used in the collective sense, meaning their race, not indivi-
duals. 'There is no room to doubt', says a Christian biographer of the Prophet, 'that
a section of the Jews not only hinted, before the Prophet, but even affirmed that he
was that Prophet whom the Lord their God should raise up unto them of their
brethren.' (Muir, op. cit. p. 98).

44. i. e., the description of him in their books.

45. »'. e., their suppression of the truth is deliberate and intentional.

46. (O reader \)i

96 Part II

L &j0£Ujtftgu3

SECTION 18

148. (^j^. . .^jc) } ) For every one is a goal whitherward he turns 47 ; so
strive to be foremost in virtues. 48 Wherever you may be, Allah shall bring you
all together ; 49 surely Allah is over everything Potent.

1 49. (^x**;. . , „, 5 ) And from whencesoever thou 60 goest forth, turn thy
face towards the Sacred Mosque ; and it 61 is surely the very truth from thy Lord;
and Allah is not unmindful of what you work.

150. (^ yjj^;. . .^4 .) And from whencesoever thou goest forth turn thy
face towards the sacred mosque 82 ; and wherever you may be, 68 turn your face,
towards it, lest there should be with people 64 an argument against you 56 except
those of them who transgress 66 ; so do not fear them, 67 but fear Me, 88 so that I
may perfect My favour upon you 68 and that you may remain truly guided. 60

151. (^i*;. . ,UJ) Thus 61 We have sent forth to you a messenger from
amongst you, who recites to you Our revelations and purifies you 82 and teaches
you the Book 63 and wisdom, 64 and teaches you what you were not wont to
know. 66

152. (j-j.jAXJ ... J)j$'&j) Remember Me therefore, 68 and I shall remember
you, 67 and to Me pay thanks 68 and do not deny Me. 69

47. (in prayer). That is the chief reason for appointing a distinctive qiblah
for the believers, — a symbol of their religious solidarity and communal unity.

48. (O Muslims ! and leave alone this wrangling about qiblah).

49. (in His presence, to judge of your actions, O Mankind!). Hence the
greater need for hastening towards a life of virtue. (Th).

50. (O Prophet!).

51. i, e., this command to turn towards qiblah.

52. The command is repeated for the sake of emphasis. The value of
having one particular qiblah for the entire community of She faithful, scattered
throughout the world, and composed of men of every race and country cannot be
too highly emphasized.

II. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 97

53. (O Muslims!) .

54. (hostile to you).

55. (that the Final Prophet was to have Ka'ba as his permanent qiblah).

56. (and are bent on »'vil ; and their vexatious squabbles would be of no
harm to Islam).

57. (and do not pay any great attention to their puerilities).

58. (as it is disobedience to My command that can lead you to perdition
and misery).

59. (in the Hereafter, by making you enter the Paradise).

60. (in this world). A condition precedent to the consummation of Divine
grace in the Hereafter.

61. The meaning is : this appointment of Abraham's Sanctuary as tins qiblah
for all true believers is in fulfilment of his prayer, as, when raising the foundations
of the House along with Isma'll, he had prayed, 'Our Lord ! accept Thou this
from us !' See verse 127 above.

62. (of sin and spiritual defilement).

63. The holy Prophet was not a mere faithful transmitter. Fie was also a
teacher, and an interpreter. See P. I. n. 593.

64. The Prophet, in addition to the Revealed words he transmits, is also
endowed with Divine wisdom which he imparts to his followers by his words and
deeds. See also P. I. n. 593.

65. Human reason cannot go beyound a certain limit. Revelation must
come to its rescue for the solution of ultimate problems. The purport of the passage
is: The appointment of Ka'ba as qiblah was as much of a certainty as the fulfilment
of another prayer of Abraham for raising among his and Isnui'lTs progeny a
Prophet. The advent of the Prophet of Islam and the raising of the House to the
status of the qiblah were really the two parts of Abraham's prayer and were bound
to come together.

66. (O mankind ! with prayer and worship) i. e., be mindful of My favours.

67. (with favours and blessings).

68. (by your faith and acts of obedience).

69. (by your acts of rebellion and disobedience).

98 Part II

rQ'» t <r t ______ , ,_ r'o'y4~

SECTION 19

153. ( ^^^jl. . .L^jU) you who believe ; seek help in patience 70 and
prayer 71 ; surely Allah is with the patient. 72

154. ( ..jjlaj. . .li .) And do not speak of those slain in the way of Allah
as dead 73 . Nay, they are alive, 71 but you do not perceive.

155. ( y.,yx.*z)\ .... +o * IJJ ,) And We shall surely test you with aught of
fear and hunger and loss in riches and lives and fruits 75 ; and bear thou 76 glad
tidings to the patient. 77

156. L,3*^lj. . • (! «rfdJf) Who, when an affliction afflicts them 78 , say 79 :
'surely we 80 are Allah's 81 and surely to Him we shall return'. 82

157. (jjj^XfrJ) . . . lJjU.I) They are the ones on whom shall be benedic-
tions from their Lord and mercy, 83 and they are the ones who are guided. 81

158. (fA-U .. ^t) Sureiy Safa 85 and Marwa 86 are of the landmarks of Allah 87 ;
so whoso makes a pilgrimage to the House 88 , or performs the 'Umra 89 in him is
to be no fault" if he walks in-between the twain. 91 And whoso does good
voluntarily 92 , then surely Allah is Appreciative, 93 Knowing 94 .

70. (to relieve yourselves of the depression, naturally great and deep, caused
by the manifest perversity of the disbelievers).

71. Which is an act of still greater merit than mere endurance of irials.
Even according to non-Muslim observers, the holy Prophet 'was the first one to see
the tremendous power of public prayer as a unification culture, and there can be
little doubt that the power of Islam is due in large measure to the obedience of the
faithful to this inviolable rule of the five prayers/ (Denison, Emotion as the basis of
Civilisation, p. 275).

72. This consciousness of the accompaniment of God, this awareness that
He is with us, is the greatest comfort that the human mind can have in this world,
and the greatest antidote to our sense of loneliness.

73. i. e., that they are dead, in the ordinary sense of the word. This truth

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah "

has boon recognized by the Jews also. According to them 'the souls of the righteous
live like birds in cages guarded by angels . . . The souls of martyrs also have a
special place in heaven/ ( JE. VI. p. 566).

74. (a Darzakhish life, purer, fuller, and higher than that granted to man-
kind in general).

75. The passage, though of general import, was primarily intended to
comfort those who had lost friends and relatives at the battle of Badr, and the
'companions' who had suffered in health and prosperity by their emigration from
Makka.

70. (O Prophet!)

77. i. e., those who have borne these trials and afflictions with good cheer.

78. (such as disease or bereavement).

79. (habitually, and with full understanding of the meaning of what they

80. (and all that we can call our own — home, family, property, and the

say).

like).

81. i. e., we belong to Him as His property and His bondmen, so that He
may do wjth us whatever He likes.

82. (when and where we shall surely be more than repaid for any amount
of loss incurred here and now). Every affliction that befalls a Muslim is cheerfully
bornp by him in the perfect assurance that either it is to wash him of his sins or to
bless him in the Hereafter.

83. m,lJ^> is here synonymous with \s%yi This sure decendiug of the bene-
diction and mercy of the Lord is the 'glad tidings' promised in verse 155 above.

84. *'. e., they have, realised the eternal and central truth that not they but
their Lord is the Master, the Owner, of themselves; and they are comforted in the
belief that He is sure to more than recompensate them for their afflictions in this
world.

85. Safa and Marwa are two eminences (not mountains, as supposed by
Palmer) surmounted by arches, in the heart of Makka (not 'nwrMecca' as imagined
again by Palmer) in the vicinity of the Sacred Mosque, on either side. The dis-
tance, 493 paces long has To be -traversed seven times, partly with hasty steps, in
memory of Hagar or Hajira (of blessed memory) who ran to and fro in search of
water when left alone with baby Isma'll in the waterless desert of Makka.

86. 'In religious importance these two points or "hills,.'" connected by
Masa, stand second only to the Ka'ba. Safa is an elevated platform surmounted
by a triple arch, and approached by a flight of steps. It lies south-east of the
Ka'ba, facing the black corner, and 76 paces from the "Gate of Safa," which is
architecturally the chief gate of the mosque. Marwa is a similar platform, formerly
covered with a single arch, on the opposite side of the valley. It stands on a spur
of Red mountain called Jebal Knaykian.' (EBr. XV. p. 152).

87. i.e., marks and signs of His religion. aijyUiS means 'all those

religious services which God has appointed to us as signs or the rites and

ceremonies of the pilgrimage, and the places where these rites and ceremonies are
performed.' (LL).

08. ^ literally synonymous with j^ by restriction of its usage in the law,
now means, 'Ho repaired to Makkah, or to the Kaaiieh, to perform the religious

rites and ceremonies of the pilgrimage.' (LL).

89. g^ is the minor pilgrimage, with fewer rites. Literally 'a visit, or a
visiting/ it is technically 'a religious visit to the sacred places at Makkah with the
performance of the ceremony of ^JM— the circuiting round the Kaahch, and the
going to and fro between Es-Safa and El-Merwata ; ^jf differs from it inasmuch
as it is at a particular time of the year and is not complete without the halting at
'Arafat on the day of 'Arafat' (LL).

90. (as some Muslims were apt to think, taking it to be a relic of the pagan
ritual).

91. (in the way prescribed). This marching to and fro, between the two,
far from being sinful, is one of the riles of pilgrimage. The passage was revealed to
remove the scruples of the early Muslims who hesitated to perform the rite as the
two ceremonies were venerated by the pagans and formerly there were seated on
them two idols. ._J\^y is here used in its primary sense signifying, not compassing
or circumambulating, but 'the act of going or walking, in an absolute sense.' (LL).

92. (such as this tripping between Safa and Mai wa in cases where it is not
obligatory).

93. y$l*, like > j£& when applied to God, means, 'He who approves, or
rewards, or forgives, much or largely : He who gives large reward for small, or few,
works'. (LL). Or, One who highly appreciates good and is Bountiful in rewarding
it.

94. i. e., Knower of the purity of motives.

//. Surat-ul-Baaarah 101

159. ( ,i}A*J.H. . . ..l)LSurely those who conceal.. what We have sent down
of evidences 95 and the guidance 86 .after We have expounded it 97 to mankind in
the Book, 98 they are the very ones cursed by Allah 99 and cursed by the cursers: 100

160. ( f *a. ; )l ...))!) Save those who repent 101 and make amends 102 and
make known the truth. 103 Those are the very ones towards whom I relent ; and
I am Relenting, Merciful. 104

1 61 • ( .j.y-'frt • • • J) Swely those who disbelieve and die while they are
disbelievers, then it is they on whom shall be the curse of Allah and angels and
mankind all 105 I

162. Lujlaij . . . .vJiUa.) They shall be abiders therein 106 ; lightened shall
be not torment on them, nor shall they be respited.

163. ( f ^ewJl . . . ^I)) And your God is the One God 107 ; there is no God
but He, 108 Compassionate 109 , Merciful 110 .

SECTION 20

^ 6 ^' Cs 1 ? ***-..' • • • is)') Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth
and the alternation of night and day, 111 and the ships that sail upon the ocean
laden with what profits mankind ; and in what Allah sends down of water from
the heavens and revives the earth thereby after its death, and scatters in it of all
sorts of moving creatures, 112 and in the veering of winds and clouds subjected
for service between heavens and earth ; in these are signs 113 to a people who
understand.

95. i. e.y signs that are manifest in themselves.

96. *. *., what is a source of guidance to others. The reference is to the
Jews.

97. *It* refers to 'that which', t. e., the matter Revealed.

98. *'. e. s Taurat and Injll. The word i^fjtd \ is used here in its generic
sense.

99. To be accursed of Allah, in the phraseology of the Qur'an, is to be
driven away and estranged from God and to be deprived of His mercy and grace.

102 Part II

100. (from among angels, men and genii), i. e., all such as abhor and
eldest evil. The Christian conception of 'curse' is singularly amusing, if not
.actually blasphemous: — 'The non-observance of the law, St. Paul teaches, puts
men under a curse ; from this curse Christ redeems them by becoming Himself a
curse on their behalf/ The proof that Christ did become a curse is given in the
form of a reference to the Crucifixion : it is written, "Cursed is every one that

hangeth on a tree" In His death on the cross He was identified under God's

dispensation with the doom of sin: He became curse for us; and it is on this our
redemption depends." (DB. I. p. 535). For the use of curses in the OT and the
NT see P. I. n. 389.

101. (their past).

102. (their future).

103. (which they had been so far hiding, and now publicly avow Islam).
See verse 159 above.

104. The God of Islam, unlike the God of so many religions, is neither
jealous nor vindictive. This requires frequent reiteration not only in view of the
doctrines of the pagans but also of the teachings of the Bible. 'Beware of him, and
obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions.'
(Ex. 23: 21). 'He is a holy God; he is a jeolous God; he will not forgive your
transgressions nor your sins,' (Jo. 24: 19).

105. Moses 'delivered blessings to them, and curses upon those that should

not live according to the laws After this curses were denounced upon those

that should transgress those laws'. ("Ant" IV. 8:44). Seen. 100 above.

106. i. c, under that curse.

107. (O mankind ! and not many or several). This unequivocally repudi-
ates and condemns the trinity of Christian god-head, the dualism of the
Zoroastrian Divinity, and the Multiplicity of the gods of polytheistic peoples.

108. This is monotheism par excellence, and not mere monolatry. Verses like
the above are meant to emphasize the fact that only One God exists, not that one
God is to be worshipped to the exclusion of other gods.

109. He alone, and none other, is Perfect in the attribute of compassion.

110. He alone, and none other, is Perfect in the attribute of mercy.

111. The sky and the earth, night and day are all created beings, but very
frequently have been personified and worshipped, as deities.

112. Or 'animals.' '£,]& literally is 'anything that walks or creeps or crawls
upon the earth.'

113. (of His Unity, Might and Wisdom). It is precisely such phenomena
of nature from which have emerged a major part of the gods of polytheism. These
grand and beautiful objects of nature striking awe and wonder and exciting admi-
ration in the human mind are in fact but so many evidences of the unique handi-
work of their Creator ; and it is absolutely foolish to adore and worship 'a heaven-
god,' an 'earth-god,' a 'sun-god,' a 'moon-god,' ; a 'rain-god,' a 'wind-god,' and the
like. All such various deities of the polytheistic nations arc described at length by
the writers on Sociology and Anthropology. See for example, PC, II, pp. 247-304;
FWN, I & II. The Holy Qur'an leads from the study of nature to the contempla-
tion of the Author of nature.

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 103

s_3_ir . &sfcL

^>y:^d^V__]^l«4^^

165. (_jJo_0| ... w* ,) And °f mankind are £c_me who set up
compeers 114 to Allah ; they love them as with the love due to Allah. 115 And
those who believe are strongest in love of Allah, 110 Would that those who are
ungodly 117 saw 118 now what they shall see when they see the torment, 119 that
surely power belonged wholly to Allah, and that Allah was Severe in Requital. »»

166. (ust^Jl . . ..SI) Remember when those who were followed 121 shall
disown those who followed them, 122 and they all shall behold the torment and
cut asunder shall be their cords. 123

167. (.UJt . . . AVi *) And those who had followed shall say : 124 'could
that for us were a return, 125 then we would disown them as they have disowned
us.' Thus will Allah show them their works as anguish ; and they shall not be
coming forth from the Fire.

SECTION 21

168. ( v __ v . . . . LjjLj) O mankind I eat of whatever is on the earth 126
lawful and good, 127 and do not walk in the footsteps of Satan ; 128 surely he is to
you an enemy manifest— 129

169. ( , -__u; . . . UJ!) He only commands you to evil and indecency
and that you should say against Allah what you do not know. 130

, 114. See P. I. n. 95.

1 15. The Arab polythcists looked upon their god as the head of their clan
and behaved towards him as if he was their kinsman. The love of the Christians for
Christ in preference to God is an equally apt illustration.

116. Love of God, then, and not His fear alone, as generally misrepresented
by the Christian 'missionaries,' is the spur of Islam. In the ideology of Islam, love
of God forms, equally with His fear the incentive to good. And a devout Muslim
is one whose love for Allah is supreme — unsurpassed by his love for anything else.
It is his love for God that gives a definite and permanent direction to His will and
forms the standing motive of his moral and religious life.

117. (to themselves), i. s., the infidels.

J[04 ^^ Pan i,

118. i. e., perceived by reflecting on it.

119. (in this very world and found that nobody is able to remove it).

120. (in the Hereafter).

121. (in this world by the masses), i. e., the chiefs and leaders of the infidels.

122. On the Judgment Day the leaders of irreligion will forsake and wash
their hands off their disciples, as if they were not accomplices in the latter's careers
of sin and disobedience.

123. (Of mutual relationship) . e., when face to face with requital and
justice, the co-accused will desert and renounce each other.

124. (in bitter anguish).

125. (to the world).

126. ». e., lawfully acquired.

127. i. e. y lawful in itself.

128. (by taking unclean foods, which are unwholesome physically, morally
and spiritually, or by making even clean foods unlawful by invoking over them any
other name than that of God).

129. (and as such the instigator to sin and blasphemy).

130. i. e. y that of which you have no warranty : attribute to Him blasphe-
mous doctrines.

//. Surat-ul-Baqarali 105

.JjJu'l

_ . fj WJLA^J jc^JI • ■ — — ■ ■

170. ( . jjf^, . . . U1 ,) And when it is said to them 131 : 'follow what
Allah has sent down', they say : 'nay, we shall follow that way whereon we
found our fathers' 132 — even though their fathers did not understand aught nor
were they guided. 133

171 . ( , Jtf*j . . . |X* ,) And tne Jikeness 134 of those who disbelieve 186 is
as the likeness of him who shouts to that which hears naught, except the sound
of a call and a cry ; 136 dead, 137 dumb, 138 blind ; 13fl so they do not understand."

172. ( , s^j . . . 1*j Ij) you who believe ! eat 141 of the good things
with which We have provided you and return thanks to Allah, 142 if Him indeed
you are wont to worship.

173. (^^) • • • tJt) He nas only forbidden to you 143 the dead animals, 144
and blood, and flesh of swine, 145 and that over which is invoked the name of any
other than Allah. 146 But whoso is driven to necessity," 7 neither desiring 148 nor
transgressing, 149 on him is no sin ; 150 surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 161

131. i. e., the infidels.

132. Pagan religions have no reasons or reasoned beliefs to set by. Their
stock-in-trade is 'ancestral wisdom' — old and antiquated traditions and customs
transmitted from one generation to another,

133. i. e., are one's ancestors infallible guides to be followed unquestioningly
and blindly at all events, even when they have *io authority of reason or Revelation
to support them ?

134. (in point oi insensibility and want of understanding).

135. (and of him who invites them to the true religion).

136. (without comprehending any meaning).

137. (to the call of reason and religion).

138. (in acknowledging truth).

139. (to their own real interests).

140. Preaching to the wilful rejecters of faith is like calling to the dumb,
driven cattle who hear sounds but understand nothing.

106 ______ Part "

141. (whatever you may desire).

142. (both in word and deed).

143. (not what you may forbid unto yourself, but such things as the follow-
ing).

144. %£%* signifies 'that which has not been slaughtered in the manner

prescribed by the law/

145. The foul habit and coarse feeding of swine— let alone its liability to
leprosy and glandular disease — are sufficient to make its flesh repulsive. Whatever
the practice of the modern 'Christian' nations in regard to 'pork,' and 'bacon' and
'ham,' the Bible's abhorrence of swine is clear. 'And the swine .... he is unclean
to you' : (Le. 11:7). 'And the swine .... it is unclean to you ; ye shall not eat of
their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.' (Dt. 14 : 8). Cf. also Is. 65 ; 4 ; Mt. 7:6;
and 2 Pe. 2 : 22. 'The eating of swine's flesh is forbidden in Israel . . . . . The
flesh and blood of swine are described as characteristically heathen and repulsive
offerings . . . The ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians as well as Jews regarded swine
as unclean.' (DB. IV. p. 633). In Arabic, the very word suggests a feeling of
revulsion. jjyAe».i says a .writer on 'Primary Arabic Roots,' 'seems to be structural
derivative form of i^ljjoi "the thing become filthy," and a hog is called wjUa.
because of its dirty habits. What is more striking is that even in the English lan-
guage, 'hog' and its synonyms always imply something that is mean, loathsome or
contemptible. 'Swine,' in English, is 'a low, greedy or vicious person.' (NSD).
'Applied opprobriously to a sexual, degraded, or coarse person ; also (in modern use)
as a mere term of contempt or abuse' (SOED). And 'swinish,' is 'gross specially,
in eating or drinking ; beastly.' (NSD) ; Sensual, gluttonous ; coarse, beastly ;
(SOED). 'Pig,' again, is 'a person who is like a pig; especially one who is filthy,
gluttonous, or grasping' (NSD) ; 'applied opprobriously to a person.' (SOED).
And 'piggish' is 'greedy ; uncleanly' (NSD) ; 'Selfish, mean ; unclean, vile' (SOED).
'Hog,' once again, is *a filthy, gluttonous ; or grasping person ; also, one selfishly
indifferent to the rights of others ;' and 'hoggish' means 'like a hog ; gluttonous ;
selfish ; filthy; mean' (NSD). Is all this mere coincidence ?

146. (by way of adoration). The pagans used to slaughter animals in the
name of their various deities.

147. (to eat an unlawful food).

148. i. e., seeking it for the pleasure of the palate.

149. (the bare limits of necessity).

150. (in eating one of the forbidden foods).

151. Forgiveness is that attribute of Divine nature by virtue of which guilt
is overlooked and a being who deserves punishment is treated with grace and kind-
ness. See also n. 104 above.

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 107

174. (*J). J) Surely those who conceal what Allah has sent
down in the Book, and purchase therewith a small gain, 152 these are they who
swallow in their bellies naught but Fire. 153 Allah shall not speak to them 164 on
the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, 165 and to them shall be a torment
afflictive.

175- (jlJJJ . . . i-Sk) ,l) Those are they who have purchased error for
guidance 156 and torment for forgiveness. 157 How daring must they be in facing
the Fire. 158

176. U^ . . , uJJi) This 169 shall £e because Allah has surely sent down
the Book 160 with truth ; and surely those who differ 161 respecting the Book 162 are
in schism 163 wide.

152. i. <?., worldly consideration, which is always but a 'small gain/ The

reference is to the Jews.

153. Great as is the sin of taking unclean and unlawful foods, far greater
is the sin of wilful concealment of the teaching of the Book, so habitual with the

Jews,

154. (a kind word).

155. (by forgiving their sins).

156. (in this world).

157. (in the Hereafter).

158. U nere is expressive of surprise or wonder.

159. i. <?., the chastisement they shall have to endure.

160. otXjCJl as a generic name, here signifies the Revealed Books in general ;
or, it may refer specifically to the Qur'an.

161. (among themselves).

162. which is so transparently true.

108 Part II

163. i. e., at groat variance with truth, and constantly disputing among
themselves. The divisions and subdivisions of the Christians are only too well known.
Diaper, while speaking of the interminable wranglings and bickerings of the
Christian sects, refers to 'the incomprehensible jargon of Arians, Nestorians,
Entychians, Monothelites, Monophysites, Mariolatrists, and an anarchy of countless
disputants. ' (History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, I, p. 333).

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 109

'Jjii'

&'u£j#'4^ Jj^o^i^ v tS f^o^PJv^yi clji ^iJ^J^cP

SECTION 22

177. ( . J&J) . . . l _^j.J) Virtue is not in thlsUi that you turn your
faces 165 to the east and the west, 160 but virtue is of him who believes in Allah
and the Last Day and the angels and the Book 167 and the prophets, 168 and gives
of his substance, for love of Him,' 69 to kindered and orphans and the needy and
the wayfarer and the beggars 170 and for redeeming necks ; m and establishes
prayer and gives poor- rate 172 and is of the performers of their promises when
they have promised ; and is of the patient in adversity and affliction 173 and in time
of violence ; 174 - these are they who have proved true, 176 and these are they who
are Godfearing. 176

178. (*jj I . . Lj L») you who believe! ordained for you is retaliation 177
in the matter of the slain ; 178 the free for the free, and a slave for a slave 179 and a
woman for a women' 80 ; yet whoso 181 is pardoned aught 182 by his brother, 183
let the service 184 be honourable 185 and payment 186 with kindness. 187 This 188 is an
alleviation from your Lord and a mercy ; 189 so whoso will transgress hereafter, 190
for him shall be a torment afflictive. 191

179- ( ox; ...<*<)) And Tor y° u is ' ife in retaliation, 198 men of
insight ! that haply you will be God-fearing.

180. ( .juiiJl ... ^) Ordained for you, when death is nigh unto
one of you, if he leaves behind any property, is the making of a bequest for his
parents and kindered equitably— a duty on the GocMearing. 193

164. (as misguided and superstitious nations are apt to think.

165. (in prayer).

166. Which directions have been held sacred by many pagan nations. In
Greek religion, deities were classified as Olympian and Chthonian. The East was
the abode of the Olympian gods and the direction to which their temples looked and
their worshippers turned when sacrificing to them, 'while the west was the direction
which the worshippers of the Chthonian gods faced/ (DB. V. p. 143). According to

_ 11 ° Part "

Hindus, the direction of south-east was sacred to the Manu and the performances of

shuddha faced it during the ceremony. (ERE. XII, p. 618). It was the belief of

the early Church that evil entered from the north. In most of the early Saxon

churches, and in many of the churches of the Norman period, all over the country,

there was a north door. There are few early churches in Shropshire and the border

countries that are without their north door ; which, in most instances, has been built

up. The north door is believed to have been used as the entrance to the church on

the occasion of baptisms, when the child was supposed to have passed from the evil

influence of the world and the devil into the care of the Church. The verse strikes

at the root of the 'direction-worship', and says in effect that there is no merit at all

in turning towards any particular direction. For Christian orientation and allied

topics see P. I, nn. 516, 517, 519. Islamic worship, it must be manifest to the

reader, is not directed towards any direction as such- east, west, north, or south, but

towards a particular House, on whatever side of the worshipper it may happen to be.

See P. I, nn. 518, 520. The particle may here also be translated as or.

167. l-jUXJ! is here again a generic name standing for all the Revealed
Books and not for any particular Scripture.

168. This sums up Islamic belief: belief in God, in His Prophets, in His
Books, in the Day of Judgment, and in the Angels.

169. Note the principal motive-force, in the Islamic code, to all acts of
merit. Not to win the applause of human beings, nor to achieve good name, but
impelled by the love of his Creator, Master and Sustainer, and moved to win His
good-will, a Muslim is truly religious in all his acts of charity and benevolence.

170. Not those who make begging a profession, but those driven to beg by
sheer need.

171. (of slaves and captives). 'Redeeming necks' is freeing them, and is in
Islam a primary social duty.

172. (at regular intervals). A simple and natural, and yet perfectly effec-
tive, way of solving many an economic problem. This sums up the main heads of
Islamic devotions.

173 - >\yb is 'that evil which relates to the person ; as disease : whereas A.Jtj
is that which relates to property ; as poverty.' (LL).

174. :. e., in war against the infidels.

175. (in their faith: in righteousness). Here is a beautiful resume of the
main requirements of the faith, with the threefold division of:

1. Islamic beliefs,

2. Islamic devotions, and

3. Islamic code of social and moral duties.

176. 'This is one of the noblest verses in the Qur'an . . . Faith in God and
benevolence towards man is clearly set forth as the essence of religion. It contains
a compendium of doctrine to be believed as well as of precept to be practised in life.'

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah

111

It is something after all to have these words of commendation by so irreverent a
critic of Islam as 'reverend 5 E. M. Wherry.

177. Which is not quite the same thing as mere revenge. 'Islam while
recognizing retaliation as the basic principle of remedial right, favours compensation
as being a principle which is most consistent with the peace and progress of society,
and lays down rules for the purpose of confining retaliation within the narrowest
possible limits.' 'Abdur Rahlm, Muhammadan Jurisprudence (op. cit., p. 359).

178. Cf. the law of Moses : 'And he that killeth any man shall surely be put
to death.' (Le. 24: 17). 'And he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.'

(21).

179. 'According to Hanafls the life of a slave stands on an equal footing
with that of a free-man, of a woman with that of a man. of a non-Muslim subject
with that of a Muslim,' ('Abdur Rahlm, op. cit., p. 359).

180. The essence of the verse, as is evident, is insistence on justice, impar-
tial and unalloyed, and a negation of all iniquities. No favour or partiality is to be
shown to the murderer if he happens to be a person of wealth and influence, as was
customary both with the Jews and the pagan Arabs.

181. (of the murderers).

182. (of the penalty) i. e., a portion but not the whole.

183. i. e., the other party. The law of Islam, unlike the modern law of
Europe based on the legal statutes of the pagan Romans, takes into view civil liabi-
lity of the murderer even more than his criminal responsibility, and treats murder as
an act of injury to the family of the slain rather than an offence against the state.
Hence the recognition, in Islamic law, of the rights of relations, and the legality of
blood-wit or fine paid to the heirs and kindred of the slain.

184. (of the blood-money on the part of the complainant).

185. i. e., without causing undue harassment to the culprit.

186. (of the blood-money on the part of the offender).

187. i. r., without causing undue harassment to the complainant. The
purport is that both the demand and the payment should be made with full human
considerations.

188. i. e. y the provision to remit. 'Retaliation being the right of the person
injured or of his heirs, they can compound with the offender for money, or, if they
choose, pardon him. Wherever retaliation for murder or hurt is compounded, the
money payable as consideration can be realized only from the offender himself. So
also when compensation is ordered in cases where there is a doubt as to the wilful
nature of the homicide. Similarly, when the hurt caused has not resulted in death,
the wrong-doer alone can be called upon to pay compensation. But when death
has been caused by negligence or mistake, the offender's Akilas, that is, his tribe or
relations, or the inhabitants of the town to which he belongs, are to pay the blood-
money to the heirs of the deceased. The reason is that it is the duty of a person's

Akilas to watch over his conduct and the law presumes that the wrong-doer would
not have acted in the way he did unless they neglected their duty.' ('Abdur Rahim,
op. cit. p. 359).

189. i. e., God has thereby allowed His stern justice to be mingled with
mercy. 'The law, though it recognizes retaliation in theory, discourages this form
of remedy in every possible way. For example, if there be the least doubt as to the
wilful character of the offence or the proof, retaliation will not be ordered/
('Abdur Rahim, op. cit. p. 359).

190. (by accusing or implicating someone falsely, or by insisting on full
vengeance after remitting). ^ is here used, according to some, in the sense of -,
The rendering in that case would be 'notwithstanding that.'

191. (in the Hereafter).

192. i. <?., the saving thereof. The knowledge of the law of retaliation
restrains from intentional slaughter or culpable homicide and so is a source of life to
two persons. Islam, the ideal-practical religion of humanity, does fully recognise
the need of a law of retaliation, in sharp distinction from an unqualified justalionis
which makes endless every affair when once it has been started, and which is at best
suited only to the savage stages of society.

193. This was ordained long before the law of inheritance was revealed,
which alone is the governing law now in all such cases.

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah It*

181. (.jJj: . . . ,.*i) T hen whoso alters it 194 after he has heard it, the sin
thereof shall be only on them who will alter it ; 195 surely Allah is Hearer, 19fi
Knower. 197

182. (^cx j . , y *.i) But whoso apprehends 198 from the testator a mis-
take 199 or a sin 200 and thereupon 201 he makes up the matter between them, 202 on
him there shall be no sin ; 203 surely Allah is Forgiver, Merciful. 204

SECTION 23

183. ( ..in , . „ Ifcj L») yo u wno believe ! ordained for you is fast-
ing, 205 even as it was ordained for those before you, 206 that haply you will be God-
fearing— 207

184. ( , jv i*3 . . . UUI) Days numbered. 208 Then whoso among you is
ill or journeying, for him is the like number of other days. 209 And those who can
keep it with hardship 210 the redemption is the feeding of a poor person ; 211 and
whoso does good voluntarily 212 it will be better for him, 213 and that your fast 214
will be better for you if you but know. 215

194. i. e., the will or bequest.

195. (and nol upon the presiding officers of the court who may unwarily be
led into errors).

196. So He hears the perjured statements of the forger.

197. So He knows the innocence of the presiding officer of the court.

198. lJI^L is also used in the sense of j& he thought, or opined/ Hence
the phrase in the text may mean ; 'And he who knoweth that there is, on the part
of the testator, an inclining to a wrong course, or a declining from the right course.'"
(LL).

199. (committed inadvertently in regard to the bequest). ujx*. literally is
a declining or deviating from the right course ; acting wrongfully.

200. i. e., intentional infringement of the law of inheritance.

201. (fearing a litigation between the heirs of the deceased).

114 Pan *f

202. i. e., heirs ; the parties concerned.

203. (for making an alteration in the will).

204. (even to the sinners ; and much more so to such a person who has
committed no sin at all).

205. 'One of the fruits of Islam/ says an European observer, William
Paton, 'has been that stubborn, durable patience which comes of the submission to
the absolute will of Allah/ Now it is the institution of fasting, more than anything
else, that is responsible for the generation of this 'stubborn, durable patience' in the
Muslim character.

206. 'By the greater number of religions, in the lower, middle-, and higher
cultures alike, fasting is largely prescribed/ (EBr. IX. p. 106). 'It would be
difficult to name any religious system of any description in which it is wholly
unrecognized, ' (EBr. X. p. 193. 11th Ed.). 'We have no evidence of any practice
of fasting in pre-Islamic pagan Arabia, but the institution was, of course, well
established among both Christians and Jews.' (Hitti, op. cit. p. 133).

207. (and attain piety by this regular exercise of self-discipline). It is her?
>f,bat the distinctive characteristic of the Islamic fast comes out in pre-eminence.
Both the Jews and the Christians took to fasting as a mere mode of expiation or
penitence, or for purposes even narrower and strictly formal. 'In olden times fasting
was instituted as a sign of mourning, or when danger threatened, or when the seer
was preparing himself for a divine revelation.' ( JE. V. p. 347). It is Islam that
immensely broadened the outlook, and raised the motive and the purpose of fasting.
In Islam it is a voluntary and cheerful renunciation, for a definite period, of all the
appetites of flesh lawful in themselves (the unlawful ones being ruled out of course) —
a salutary exercise of both the body and the spirit. 'Disciplinary fasting,' such as
the Islamic fasting may be termed, 'is regarded as a reasonable and useful practice,
even by those who consider all other forms of fasting to be misconceived and vain . . .
Normally, it is a reasonable part of the soul's preparation for the maintenance of
self-control in times of strong temptation' (EBr IX, p. 108)

208. (Shall ye fast), i. e., only for thirty or twenty-nine days. The month
supplies the greatest continued test of self-discipline known to the world. So
meritorious is this fast in the eyes of the Lord that, according to the sayings of the
Prophet, 'the very smell of the mouth of the keeper of a fast is more agreeable to
Allah than the smell of musk.' And so sacred is the month that 'with its coming
the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and devils are
enchained.'

209. The law is only permissive, not imperative. Those who are ill or on
journey may, and not must, postpone their fasts till after Ramadhan, or may go on
fasting regularly within the month. It is optional with them.

210. i. e., such men and women as are exceedingly weak or are of
advanced old age. gJUa signifies what can be done or borne with the u

Surat- ul-Baqarah 1 1 5

difficulty, 'the utmost that one can do, with difficulty, trouble or inconvenience.'
(LL). Another reading for gj .A^kj is £.j y'i ^laj and it means &j }£i£j that is, 'shall
have imposed upon them as a thing that is difficult, troublesome, and inconvenient.'

(LL).

211. (according to the average quantity and quality of what a man eats in

a day).

212. i. c, shall spend on the poor over and above the prescribed

redemption.

213. To be munificent and generous is always commendable ; it is
immeasurably more to be so in this month of purification, piety and self-denial.
Hence it is that the Holy Prophet — the most bountiful of men — was more bountiful
than ever in the month of Ramadhan. The duty to give alms present throughout
the year becomes paramount during Ramadhan ; and the holy Prophet has declared
that until a man has distributed the legal and customary gifts, at the end of the
month, before celebrating the festival of 'Id, his fasts will be kept suspended between
heaven and earth.

214. (if you still choose to keep fasts).

215. (the incomparable merit of fasting the whole month of Ramadhan)

116 p a n II

185. ( . ? <*t.i' . . . y^i, ) The month 21 " of Ramadhan : 217 in it was sent
down the Qur'an, 218 a guidance to mankind 219 and with evidences; 220 one of the
Books of guidance and distinction. 221 So whoso of you witnesses the month, 222
he shall fast it; 223 and whoso is ill or journeying for him is the like number of
other days. Allah desires for you ease 224 and does not desire for you hardship; 225
so you shall complete the number 226 and shall magnify Allah for His having
guided you, 227 and haply you may give thanks 228

186. ( .&£ y j . . . lit.) And when My bondmen ask thee 229 regarding
Me, 230 then surely I am nigh. 2:n I answer the call of the caller, when he calls
Me ; 23z so let them answer Me 233 and believe in Me, haply they may be directed.

216. Month, in the Qur'an, means lunar month — the period of a lunar
revolution, the period from the first appearance of one new moon to that of the next.

217. The root j^* means 'to bake sheep in its skin'. The noun Ramadhan
is thus reminiscent of the excessivcness of heat. It is the ninth month of the
Arabian year, said to be so named because it originally fell in the height of summer.
Once at the beginning of the holy month the Prophet made a great oration in the
course of which he said : — O ye men ! an exceedingly great moon has now over-
shadowed you The Most High has appointed the fast during its nights as a

custom. Whoever does a supererogatory work in the month, will be rewarded as
much as if he does a legally enjoined work in another month : and whoever performs
a legally enjoined work in this month, will be rewarded the same as if he had
performed seventy such works is any other month. This is the month of patience,
and the reward of the patience of the month is Paradise.'

218. The first verses of the Qur'an were revealed in the month of
Ramadhan. So by 'sent down', here, is meant 'commenced to be sent down.'
Or it may mean, according to the orthodox opinion, that in the month of
Ramadhan, the Qur'an was sent down from the seventh heaven to Gabriel in the
first heaven, and then it came to the holy Prophet, by and by, as the occasion
required.

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 117

219. This, the fact of its being a universal guide, is the first characteristic
of the Holy Qur'an.

220. (found in its every page), i. e., the Book is full of evidences. This is
its second characteristic.

221. (between truth and falsehood). ^ ^Ji and ^U y ti\ both with the
definite article \\ arc used, in a generic sense, of all Divine Scriptures.

222. The length of the lunar month varies from twenty-nine to thirty days,
and the beginning of the month depends on the visibility of the moon. The provision
laid down in the verse exempts from obligation the people of those 'outlandish'
countries where there is no periodic appearance of the moon at the beginning of
every lunar month.

223. t. «., the whole of it. The entire month is to be spent in fasting for the
whole day, and' yet this religion has been accused of attracting men by only
pondering to their self-indulgence ! Truly has Arnold observed, quoting Carlyle, that
the Prophet's 'religion is not an easy one : with rigorous fasts, lavatious, strict, com-
plex formulas, prayers five times a day, and abstinence from wine, it did not succeed
by being an easy religion.' {Preaching of Islam, p. 418).

224. (and so He has allowed these concessions). Yet very few of the good
and devout Muslims ever avail themselves of these concessions, to the marvel of non-
Muslim observers. 'The strictness of the fast .... has maintained unrelaxed at
whatever season it may fall, and to this day, in the parched plains of the East, for
the whole month, however burning the sun and scorching the wind, the follower of
Mohammad may not suffer a drop of water during the long summer day, to pass his
lips . . . The trial, though thus unequally severe in different climes and at different
terms of the cycle, is no doubt a wholesome exercise of faith and self-denial.' (Muir
op. cit. p. 193).

225. (in His laws and commandments : so that this institution of fasting is a
blessing rather than a burden). Compare a saying of the Prophet : 'Verily the
Religion is easy (to practise).'

226. (of days, at some later period ; and shall thereby obtain the same
merit as by fasting the month of Ramadhan).

•227. (to this way of making up for the blessing of Ramadhan).

228. (to God for making your path so smooth and so easy, both physically
and spiritually).

229. (O Prophet ! )

230. i. e., whether I am near-by or remote.

231. (always, nighest when My servants starve themselves for the whole day
in obedience to My' commands and out of love for Me). The God of Islam, never
distant or remote, is the constant companion of His servants, their unfailing
support, and an infallible prop to those in need and distress— unlike so many gods
of polytheism elevated far above men living in Olympian heights and having little
or no vital connection with them.

232. (except in prayer whether that acceptance be immediate or deferred,
direct or indirect) Prayer is the strongest and most visible acknowledgment of God's
sovereignty and man's uttar dependence on Him. Islam, it has been well said,
'ritually viewed, is in its inmost essence a service of prayer.'

233. i. e. t My call by faith and obedience, when I call them to belief.

118 Part II

187. ( j^xj . . . J.=J) Allowed to you, on the night of fasts, is con-
sorting with your women 231 ; they are a garment for you 235 and you are a
garment for them. 230 Allah knows that you have been defrauding yourselves, 237
so He has relented towards you 238 and pardoned you. 23fl So now 210 copulate
with them 241 , and seek what Allah has ordained for you, 242 and eat and drink, 643
until the white thread becomes manifest to you from the black thread of the
dawn 244 ; so complete the fast till nightfall. 245 And do not copulate with them 246
while you are retreating in the mosques. 247 These are the bounds of Allah, 248 so
do not approach them. 249 Thus 250 Allah expounds His signs 251 to mankind 252 that
haply they may fear 253 Him.

188. (^yjjo . . . IjJL5U3Jj) And do n ot devour your riches 254 among
yourselves in vanity,' 65 nor convey them 256 to the judges that you may thereby
devour portion of other people's riches sinfully while you know. 257

SECTION 24

189. (^ysolu • . . cJJ^JUUj) They ask thee 258 of new moons. 258 Say
thou : 'they are time-marks for mankind 260 and for the season of Hajj'. 2el And
it is no virtue that you enter your houses by their backs, 262 but the virtue is his
who fears God; 263 so enter the houses by their doors, 264 and fear Allah, in order
that you may thrive. 265

190. (^djuJ! . . . IjJUUj) And fight 266 in the way of Allah 267 those
who fight you 268 and do not trespass 269 ; surely Allah does not love the tres-
passers. 270

234. vzj, j means sexuality and lewd conduct in general 'comprehending
everything that a man desires of his wife/ (LL) This permissive commandment is
of a later date. Sexual passion, in Islam, is not, as it is in Christianity, the most
dreadfull of all sins, in fact the original sin which caused the Fall of Man. And
normal sexuality can very well co-exist with the sanctity of the Ramadhan.

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 119

235. So close; and intimate, in Islam, arc the mutual relations of man and
wife. ^UJ literally is the covering of anything. Husband and wife are called ^jj
'because each embraces the other, or because each goes to the other for rest, and
consoris with ( ^Hj) the other, (LL). The phrase may be paraphrased as saying
that men and women use each other as constant and inseparable companion. It
emphasizes the fact of their interdependence in life, the one being incomplete with-
out the other. Compare the dictum of a distinguished lady biologist, Dr. Elisabeth
Chcsser of London : — 'A vast amount of energy is wasted in futile argument as to
the relative superiority of man and woman ... Each sex contains undeveloped
organs and functions which are more fully developed in the other ... The lesson of
biology is that, where sex exists, the two sexes are mutually dependent/ (Forbath in
Love, Marriage and Jealousy, p. 180). Compare with this the attitude of Christianity
which holds the woman as a creature impure, perhaps the dirtiest, and regards her
as a synonym for the temptress. 'The fathers of Church and the preachers did not
cease to utter their thunders against woman, disparaging her, and abusing her as the
impure creature, almost devilish." (Letourneau, Evolution of Marriage, p. 205).
'In the first few centuries of the Christian era the Western world was inundated with
some very remarkable notions about women which came to them from the hills of
Tibet ... Women were told, with all the weight of a sacred authority, that they
should be ashamed of the thought that they were women, and should live in
continual penance on account of the curses their sex had brought into the world.
The very phrases of Manu used against women were the door of hell, the personifi-
cation of sin. Some even went so far as to maintain that their bodies were of
diabolic origin, but this was decided to be a heresy !' (UHWI, p. 379).

236. The metaphor is of exquisite beauty, expressive of close intimacy,
identity of interests, mutual comfort and confidence, mutual upholding of each
other's reputation and credit, mutual respect of one another's secrets, mutual affec-
tion, and mutual consolation in misfortune. The whole character of the one becomes
an open book to the other. The wedded pair cease to belong to themselves ; they
now belong to each other, sharing each other's joys, sorrows, glories and shames.
And yet Islam has, in the eyes of 'honest' Christian critics, 'degraded the position
of woman !'

237. (in this respect) *'. e., concerning the restriction imposed so far.
Earlier, the Muslims were not allowed to lie with their wives even during the night
in the month of Ramadhan. This was relaxed later on. Islam fully recognizes the
fact that the sexual instinct is one of the most powerful organic needs.

230. (in regard to the future, and has withdrawn the restriction).

239. (in regard to the past).

240. (that the restriction has been withdrawn).

241. (in the night during the month). The pronoun refers to 'your women.'
In Islam, unlike what is in Christianity, sex is not taboo, and sexual intercourse is

not an impure act and a disagreeable task imposed on humanity as a punishment
for the Fall, and 'to be undertaken in the spirit in which one submits to a surgical
operation/ The act of copulation unless coupled with sin, is in itself a perfectly
innocent act and, in proper circumstances, it is bodily healthful and mentally pleasure-
giving. 'Failure to enjoy sex,' as observed by a modern British social philosopher,
'so far from being virtuous, is a mere physiological or psychological deficiency, like
a failure to enjoy food/ (Russell, Marriage and Morals, p. 111).

242. (of offspring) . One of the main objects of the union of man and wife
is thus seen to be procreation. All forms of contraception are, by implication,
interdicted. 'Birth control/ as defeating the primary purpose of the martial act,
can find no place in Islam. In individual cases of ill-health or extreme poverty, the
remedy lies in merital abstinence, not in the use of artificial contraceptives which,
even from a purely materialistic point of view, are still far from perfect. 'Contra-
ceptive methods ... for the most part, are untrustworthy and frequently even
injurious/ (Nemilov, Biological Tragedy of Woman, p. 193). 'Nor is the use of some
contraceptives free from physical risk. They produce a certain amount of septic
absorption and may even cause death' (Scharlieb, Straight Talks to Women, p. 140).
'The entirely successful contraceptive, one that would be sure, harmless and simple,
has not yet been discovered/ (EBr. III. p. 650) And fortunately so. 'That there
should be no known contraceptive which does not in some way make the complete
happiness of merital intercourse, will perhaps be regarded by some as a very wise
dispensation of Providence' (Ludovici, The Woman, p. 203). One may of course
live in continence, if he so likes, but there is no sense and no meaning in exercising
the act of generation and yet frustrating its natural outcome. The modern medical
expert while recognizing that 'there are women whose health, happiness and
efficiency, are being impaired by too frequent pregnancies/ is forced to admit that
the havoc these artificial practices, so much in vogue, cause is palpable. Dr. Mary
Scharlieb, the eminent lady doctor, after long and elaborate investigations has
arrived at the following conclusions : 'From every point of view, the welfare of
individual, the safety of the empire and the purity of our homes, it is evidently most
desirable that the use of artificial contraceptives should cease. There is something

peculiarly unnatural and nauseous in their use something essentially destructive

of the joy and spontaneity characteristic of wedded love. Great risks to health and
happiness are involved in their use/ {Straight Talks to Women, pp. 167-168)

243. (amidst reflective vigil and standing up in the night).

244. f, e., until the true dawn is distinguished from the false one.
^ixjDI IsjlckJ) and i>j«!)| iajusJI in the context mean 'the true dawn, and the false
dawn ; or the whiteness of the dawn, and the blackness of night.' (LL)

245. (which coincides with the setting of the sun). The days should be
passed, so far as possible, in acts of service to God and mankind.

246. i. e. t with your wives.

//. SVrat-uI-Baqarah 121

247. (as a matter of special devotion, nor have anything to do with them

lustfully). It is an act of great merit, though not obligatory, following the practice
of the Prophet himself, to cut oneself off from all mundane affairs, during the last
ten days of Ramadhan, regarded as specially sacred, while staying day and night in
a mosque and occupied with pious exercises. This is technically known as 'Ptikqf,
or retreat, meaning withholding oneself from the customary exercise of freedom of
action in the disposal or management of affairs' (LL).

248. i. e., restrictions set by Allah.

249. (with a view to transgressing them), i. e., do not go beyond these
Divine limits even so slightly.

250. i. e., as in this instance.

251. (and commandments).

252. (i. e., for the good of mankind). .

253. (and learn to beware of infringing His ordinances).

254. i. e., each other's property.

255. Or 'inquiry'. This puts a stop to all kinds of fraudulent and dishonest
dealings in the community.

256. i. e., false and concocted cases; perjured suits. (Th.) The pronoun t ft
may as well refer to 'substance'. The rendering in that case would be: 'nor convey
it unto the judges'.

257. (that you are acting against your conscience). 'In these words we have
another example of the way in which Muhammad urged upon his followers the duty
of dealing justly with each other'. (Roberts, Social laws of the Qpran, p. 108).
*5tcwUl J! &J t*j J»! means, 'He gave, or presented, or offered, his property to the
judge'. And the phrase in the next means, 'And do not give it, or offer it, as a
bribe to the judges: or, a'nd do not endeavour to conciliate with it the judges in
order that they cut off for you what is the right of others' (LL) .

258. (O Prophet !)

259. i. e., concerning the use of their waxing and waning, the meaning of
their phases.

260. i. e., for their general benefit and in the exercise of their voluntary
legal acts, such as ascertaining and determining the waiting period of divorce. The
moon has always been recognized as a 'measure of time,' and in English the very
word is derived from the root me-, 'to measure.' At the dawn of history it was the
only time-measure, perhaps owing to its rapid motion and the ease with which its
position could be located in the sky. 'The period of the moon's monthly changes
provides an obvious means of dividing up time into months of thirty days or so. In
Babylonia, the year . . . began when the crescent moon was first seen in the spring.
The Egyptian year also contained twelve months of thirty days derived from
the length of a lunation. The ancient Jewish calendar was of the usual lunar
type with twelve months, each of which began with the first visibility of

the crescent moon/ (Gregory, Religion in Science and Civilization, p. 101)

261. i. <?., to show its season, and for other similar fixed and obligatory acts
of devotion reckoned by lunar months. That is all. This strikes at the root of
festal rejoicings and sacrifices attending the appearance of the new moon in ancient
lunar cults.

262. 'The Arabs had a superstitious custom after they had been at Mecca

(in pilgrimage, as it seems), on their return home, not to enter their house by the
old door, but to make a hole through the back part for a passage, which practice is
here reprehended.' (Sale)

263. (and entering the houses by their doors is not forbidden by Him, so
abstaining from it cannot be a form of piety).

264. (in utter disregard of all superstition).

265. (both in this world and the Next). Two entirely distinct, rather
mutually destructive, emotions are covered by the same word 'fear.' One is baser,
selfish and servile, always arising out of thoughts of danger to self. Fear, in this
sense, is negatived in the Qur'an of all righteous and godly persons, in verses like
the following, reiterated again and again : —

'No fear shall come upon them, nor will they grieve.'

But there exists also a noble, higher and disinterested variety of fear, which
has its roots not in cowardice or timidity at all but in man's feeling of awe at what
his Lord is, and in his contemplating his own utter insignificance and unworthiness.
Fear in this sense, attracts ; it does not repel. It has the effect of drawing the man
closer and closer to his Lord ; and he entirely surrenders himself to His will. It is
this 'fear of Allah' that is inculcated in a thousand and one ways in the Qur'an,
and is described as the master-key to all success: "Fear Allah that ye may thrive."

266. (O Muslims!)

267. i. e.y in the cause of His true Religion; in the cause of truth, justice,
equity and humanity. To combat the dark forces of polytheism, superstition,
perfidy, irreligion, and religious persecution ; and not for the greed of booty or for
self-aggrandisement, nor yet to extend the 'sphere of influence' of this country or
that. Is the extermination of moral evil, in any sense, an unworthy object of
war ?

268. (violating the truce they had signed themselves). The Muslims, after
having borne with almost superhuman fortitude for years and years untold persecu-
tion at the hands of the pagan republic of Makka, are now for the first time
enjoined to take to reprisals. 'For full thirteen years the Muslims were subjected
to relentless persecutions in Mecca. The Prophet and his followers fled for life to
Medina, which is over 150 miles from Mecca, but the enemy would not leave them
alone in their refuge. They came to attack them within a year, and the first three
great battles were fought in the very locality which will show whether the Prophet
was an assailant or defendant.' (Headley, The Original Church of Jesus Christ and

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 123

Islam, p. 155). The Makkans had signed a truce and were the first to break it. The
words 'fight with those who fight against you' clearly show, first, that the Muslims
were not the aggressors, and secondly, that those of the enemy who were not actual
combatants — children, women, monks, hermits, the aged and the infirm, the maim-
ed, and the like, had nothing at all to fear from the Muslim soldiery.

It was in the light of this express divine injunction that the great Abu Bakr
(of blessed memory), the first Caliph (successor of the Prophet), charged his troops
in Syria, 'not to mutilate the dead, nor to slay old men, women, and children, nor
to cut down fruit-trees, nor to kill cattle unless they were needed for food ; and
these humane precepts served like a code of laws of war during the career of
Mohammadan conquest.' (Bosworth Smith, op. cit., p. 185). Has not Islam thus,
in prescribing war against those who break God's laws, challenge His righteous
authority, and fill the world with violence and injustice, made every concession short
of the impossible ? Has any code of military ethics been so chivalrous, so humane,
and so tender towards the enemy ? 'The moral tone adopted by the Caliph
Abu Bakr, in his instructions to the Syrian army, was,' says a modern Christian
historian, 'so unlike the principles of the Roman government, that it must have
commanded profound attention from a subject people . . . Such a proclamation
announced to Jews and Christians' sentiments of justice and principles of toleration
which neither Roman emperors nor orthodox bishops had ever adopted as the rule
of their conduct.' (Finlay, Greece Under the Romans, pp. 367-368)

269. i. e., do not violate the truce yourselves; honour your word (Th.) ; do
not step beyond the limits of the law. Compare and contrast the war laws of the
Bible : — 'And they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees.'
(2 Ki. 3 ; 25) 'For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had
cut off every male in Edom.' (I. Ki. 11 : 16) : 'Now go and smite Amalek, and
utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and
woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.' (1. Sa. 15 : 3)

270. (of the Divine command by stepping beyond its limits).

1 24 Part f/

t^^^mm ®^4*m^un^\& g|

191 - (uh!^' • • • t*ito*\ 5) And ki " tnerr,2n wherever you come upon
them, 272 and drive them out whence they drove you out ; and mischief 273 is more
grievous 274 than bloodshed. And do not fight them near the Sacred Mosque
unless they fight you therein, but if they do fight you there, 276 then kill them.
That is the recompense of the infidels. 276

192. (* 4 ^) . . . ..Li) Then if they desist, 277 then 278 surely Allah is For-
giver, 279 Merciful. 280

193. ( .juJJflJl . . . *a) 5 .D;i'j) And fight them until there is no more mis-
chief, 281 and the obedience 282 is to Allah. 288 So if they desist 284 then there is
to be no violence save against the ungodly 986 .

194. (^xiixJi p* • . . f I jaaJI j*AJt ) A sacred 286 month is in exchange
for a sacred month 287 : these sacredness are in return. 288 Whoso therefore offers
violence to you, 289 offer violence to him the like of his violence to you 290 and fear
Allah, 291 and know that Allah is with the Gotf-fearing. 292

195. (^JUeoJlj. . . . I ,SJJI 5 ) And spend in the way of Allah, 293 and do
not cast yourselves with your hands in perdition. 294 and do well, 295 surely Allah
loves the well -doers. 296

271. *'. <?•, those who violated the truce and took up arms to extirpate both
the Muslims and Islam.

272. (during the period of belligerency).

273. (of irrcligion and impiety). The word covers, on the part of the
Makkans, a number of other such crimes over and above the grossest forms of
idolatry, as treachery, perfidy, wanton persecution of the Muslims, and aggression
in fighting.

274. i. e., causing greater harm; leading to graver consequences. There are
evils far worse than war; and it is to combat manfully these greater evils that war
is allowed, and sometimes enjoined in Islam. Even the Jains, the religious pacifists
of India, to whom all forms of violence are repugnant, hold that 'wars are designed
by the Mysterious Unseen for bringing the recalcitrant peoples to book.'

//. SUrat-uhBaqarah 125

273. (then and there). The inviolability of the Ka'ba and its precincts is
10 be kept intact, except tinder tne pressure of sheer self- defence.

270. (who have no scruple even in violating the sanctity of the Ka'ba}.

277. (from infidelity even now, and repent). Once the aggressive infidels
have started war it is not their mere laying down of arms that can terminate it, but
the giving up of infidelity which alone can ensure salvation implied in the words,
'Forgiving' and 'Merciful.-'

278. {their Islam is not to be held as of no account).

279. So He will forgive their infidelity in the past,

280. So he will bestow on them further favours.

28 L (of idolatry) j t. e. t until the pagans' power for mischief is entirely
crushed, and the suzerainty of Islam is established,

282. ^ is primarily 'Obedience/ not 'religion.' And aJ,) ijgjt means
Obedience to, and service of God/ (LL)

283. Islam is the religion wholly Allah's. So the injunction in effect is this :
fight these groups of infidels until they surrender to the authority of Islam. Idolatry
in Arabia must be extirpated and the religion of God be established. 'Muslims
have certainly no more reason to be ashamed of the use of force during their past
history than the nations of the West who forcibly suppress immoral traffic in women,
drug traffic, exploitation of labour or the cremation of widows on the funeral pyres
of their husbands . , , The fact remains that the sword of Islam has very consider-
ably contributed to the moral and material progress of mankind ; and it is not for
Muslims to apologise for their ancestors who took it up in the service of humanity/
(ASB, 1, p. 79)'

284. (from infidelity).

285. 1. e, t those who still persist in their wrong-doirjg.

286. {wherein it is unlawful to make war). The ancient Arabs held four
months in the year, Muharram, Rajab, Zul-Qa f da and Zul-Hijja, as sacred,
during which they held it unlawful to wage war*

287. 1", e,, is so held only in reprisal. The Muslims were in danger of being
attacked by the Makkans in the sacred month of Zul-Qa'da, Here they arc bidden
to make reprisals, if needful, in that very season, as the sacredness of months is only
reciprocal.

288. t, (,, governed by the law of returning like for like.

289. (in this season, impoverishing its sanctity)*

290. i. e. t pay him in the same coin ; requite him,

291. (lest you may exceed the proper limits of the law),

292. i, e,, those who are strictly regardful of their duties towards man and
God ; men of true piety*

293. j\ c* t in the wars of religion; in ways that lead to God.

294. (by withholding your contributions to the national funds at the time

you are attacked by the enemy). The address is to the Muslim community collec-
tively. To create in mind a disinclination to Jihad ov the obligatory religious war,
and to fail to contribute to its funds, is to court national disaster, and to prepare the
way for national suicide. According to some u is here redundant, and *<jajJ
means pCU], So the rendering would be 'And cast ye not yourselves to predition/
According to others ^xjj| is understood, and the rendering would be as adopted in

the text.

295. i. <?., whatever good you do, do it with perfectly pure motives, what-
ever of your substance, for instance, you wish to contribute, do it cheerfully and not
half-heartedly.

296. The conception of God in Islam is not that of an inert, passive, First
Cause, doing nothing and liking and disliking nothing. The God of Islam actively
likes, loves and rewards.

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 127

196. (,_,U*J 1 ... • \j^\ ,) And fu,fil the Ha ii 29 and 'Umra 298 for Allah. 289
And if you be besieged/' 00 send whatever offering* 01 you can afford, 302 and shave
not your heads™' until the offering reaches its destination. 301 Then whoso of you
is ill or has hurt in his head 305 for him is an expiation by fasting 300 or alms' 07 or a
rite.' 08 Then when you are secure, 300 whoso combines 'Umra with Hajj for him 310
is whatever offering is easy. And whoso 311 cannot afford 312 then the expiation is
a fast of three days during the Hajj 313 and of seven when you return; 314 these are
ten days* 1 * complete. This 310 is for him whose family does not dwell near the
Sacred Mosque :U7 And fear Allah, and know that surely Ailah is Stern in
chastising. 318

297. 'This great international gathering, attended by thousands of pilgrims
every year, not only from adjacent countries but from such distant places as China,
Senegal, or Cape Town, is an impressive manifestation of the unity of the Muslim
world, and serves to keep alive the feeling of brotherhood in Islam. The same
thought is impressed upon those Muslims who have been unable themselves to make
the pilgrimage, in that on the very same day in which the sacrifices are being
performed outside the city of Mecca, the faithful in every other part of the world
celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice in a similar fashion, and are thus linked by bonds of
sympathy with their more fortunate brethren in the sacred city." (Arnold, The
Islamic Faith, p. 37). 'The pilgrimage proved in the end a great aid in unification,
for the men of every tribe and race met at Mecca with a common purpose, and in a
common worship, and a feeling of brotherhood could not but be engendered in the
process/ (Denison, op. cit., p. 275) 'Down through the ages this institution has
continued to serve as the major unifying influence in Islam and the most effective
common bond among the diverse believers. It rendered almost every capable
Moslem perforce a traveller for once in his life-time. The socializing influence of
such a gathering of the brotherhood of believers from the four quarters of the earth
is hard to over-estimate. It afforded opportunity for Negroes, Berbers, Chinese,
Persians, Syrians, Turks, Arabs— rich and poor, high and low— to fraternize and
meet together on the common ground of faith.' (Hitti, op. cit., p. 136).

128 p art //

298. 'Umra is a respectful visit to Ka'ba that may be performed, unlike
Hajj, at any time of the year, with fewer rites and ceremonies than Hajj proper.
While the Hajj is obligatory on every Muslim who possesses the means necessary for
the journey, 'Umra is only an act of additional merit. See n. 89 above.

299. i. e., to win His approval, with pure motives, and with due observance
of all conditions, ^jj A^\ according to some means that the money, or the like
that one expends in performing the pilgrimage, should be lawfully obtained, and
that one should refrain from doing what God has forbidden.' (LL)

300. (either by disease or enemy) jUaaJ signifies 'being prevented from
attending the religious rites and ceremonies of pilgrimage, by disease, or the
like/ (LL)

301. (to be slaughtered in the sacred precincts of Makka). This animal
sacrifice (usually a goat or a sheep) is an important rite in the performance of
pilgrimage.

302. (to obtain).

303. (which marks the completion of the Hajj rites and ceremonies).
Shaving of the head is, in Islam, an act of rejoicing rather than a mourning rite as
among the Hindus and other polytheistic nations.

304. i. e., within the sacred precincts known as Haram.

305. (and is therefore obliged to shave his head before the prescribed time).

306. (for three days).

307. t. e., the feeding of six paupers.

308. i. e., the offering of one goat at least.

309. (either after the removal of danger, or without encountering it at all).

310. i.e., for such persons alone as combine 'Umra (the lesser pilgrimage)
with Hajj (the greater pilgrimage) and not for those who perform either of them
singly.

311. (of them ; of those who combine the two devotions) .

312. (any offering at all).

313. The last date of which period is the 9th of Zul-Hijja.

314. :'. <?., when all the rites of Hajj are terminated, and is usually the time
for return, whether one actually returns or stays on).

315. (of fasting).

316. i. e. y this combination of the two devotions.

317. i. e., this combination of the two devotions is allowable only to those
who are foreigners, and not residents within the sacred area or Haram.

318. (those who wantonly violate. the Divine law).

SOrat- ul-Baqarah ]££

«&<_ m — *^

^^44^a3t>S2^^i^l^4i^M^

SECTION 25

197. (u,v*j H I . . . &sd I) The ^easo/7 of Hajj is the months known ; 319
so whoever enjoins wpo/7 himself the Hajj therein 320 there Is*® to be no lewd-
ness 322 nor wickedness nor disputing during the Hajj; 323 and whatever good you
do Allah shall know it. 321 And take provision for the journey; 325 surely the best
provision is piety, 328 and fear Me, men of understanding :

198. ( ^JUflj I . . . \ u oJ) No fault it is in you if you seek grace from
your Lord* 27 by trading. Then when you press on from 'Arafat 328 remember
Allah near the sacred monument. 329 Remember Him as He has guided you, 330
and you were before of those astray.

199. (*xcw . *$) Tnen Press 331 on from where the other people press
on, and ask forgiveness of Allah; 322 surely Allah is Forgiving, 333 Merciful. 334

200. y&& . . . liU) And when you have completed your rites, 335
remember Allah as you remember your fathers 336 or with a stronger remem-
brance. 337 And of mankind there are some who say : 'our Lord : give us 338 our
portion in the world'; 330 and for such there shall be no portion in the Hereafter.

201. (%UM . . . (■+*«* 5 ) And °f them there are some wno sav : ' our
Lord I give us good 340 in the world and good in the Hereafter, 341 and save us from

torment of the Fire'. 342

319. i. e., Shawwal, Zul-Qa'da, and the first ten days of Zul-Hijja.

320. (and wears accordingly the Ihram, or the seamless, unsewn robe of the
pilgrims).

321. (to be for him).

322. ' (even in language; much less in deed). The injunction is in striking
contrast with the absolutely lewd and obscene rites and practices in the pro-Islamic
hajj, and also with the conditions prevailing in the modern festivals and large
religious gatherings of the polytheistic peoples.

323. (the pilgrim, on the other hand, should constantly occupy himself with

good deeds).

324. (and shall reward you accordingly).

325. (when proceeding to Makka, on pilgrimage). The pagans thought it
an act of great merit and piety to go to Makka, unprovided for, in a state of
penury.

32(5. 'from begging' (Th.) or 'piety.'

327. (and an increase in your prosperity by trading during the pilgrimage).
The economic benefits, accruing from an injunction like this, both to the individual
and to the community, are too obvious to need any comment.

328. (in the return journey, after making the prescribed stay there).
'Arafat is a plain, miles wide, round a small 'Hill of Mercy' rising only about 200
feet above the adjoining plain, about 12 miles from Makka on the road to Taif.
It is here that the essential ceremony of the Hajj, called ^JJ, or 'standing' has to
be performed on the 9th of Zul-Hijja, any time from mid-day till evening. 'The
plain of 'Arafat spreads southwards from the hill of 'Arafat and is bounded on the
east by the lofty mountain chain of Taif. It is covered by a low growth of mimosa
plants, and is filled with life only on one day of the year (9 Dhu'l-Hidjdja) when
the pilgrims pitch their camps for the celebration of the prescribed wuktif.' (EI. I.
p. 418)

329. 'Near the sacred monument' means the ground bordering on it in
Muzdalfa, where, immediately after the return from 'Arafat in the evening of the
9th Zul-Hijja night prayer is said, and night is spent.

330. (and not as suits your fancy). Note the insistence which the injunction
to 'remember God* receives in connection with the Hajj ceremonies.

331. (all of you, not excluding the Quraish). The conceited clan of the
Quraish in the prc-Islamic days considered it beneath their dignity to proceed to
'Arafat, and used to stay on in Muzdalfa.

332. In addition to the repeated commands to remember God, here is a
command to ask His forgiveness. Can any pilgrimage be more purificatory ?

333. (so He will forgive sins when one asks His forgiveness).

334. (so He will show mercy to the sinner when he is penitent).

335. 'The foremost goal of this pilgrimage is the assembling of Muslims from
different parts of the world. They shall learn to understand one another and know
the needs of Muslim countries other than their own. And this is the practical
method of promoting the great Commonwealth of Islam, the brotherhood of men
bound together by the same ideal of devotion to God, whose Oneness, as also the
unity of all Muslims, are symbolised in the qiblah of Mecca.' (ASB. I. p. 40)

336. i. e., glorify God as you used to glorify the deeds of your forefathers in
the pagan days. This is for the third time that the injunction to 'remember God' is
reiterated.

337. This is how Islam succeeded in effecting far-reaching reforms, and

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 131

metamorphosed morally and spiritually the entire Arab nation. There is a clear
hint in tlio verse that our association with our God should be at teast as lively and
as realistic as with our parents.

338. (i. o. our gifts).

339. Some of the pagan Arabs did not believe in the Resurrection and the
Hereafter; so their prayers while performing the pilgrimage were confined to the

gifts of this world.

340. i. e., whatever is approved of by Thee ; whatever is good in Thy sight ;

whatever is pleasing to Thee. (Th.)

341. Note the object desired and sought in prayer is not 'the world' at all,
but 'good', and 'good' only in whatsoever it may be found— whether in this world
or in the Next. (Th.) Contrast with this the Christian concept embodied in the
reported saying of the Christ :— ( My kingdom is not of this world.' ( Jn. 18 : 36)

342. An ideal prayer, favourite of the holy Prophet, combining in two brief
sentences all the blessings of this world and the Next. And this has led to the
perplexed remark of a Christian writer :— 'This is one of the most puzzling
paradoxes in Islam. As to recognizing, using and enjoying this world, Islam is a
most practical religion, but on its doctrine of salvation, it is absolutely and entirely
other-worldly.' (Macdonald, Religious Life and Attitude in Islam, p. 43.)

132 _^___^_ Part n

-W rlyfe.

202. (^Usnij . . . utfJjf) These are the ones for whom there will be a
share 313 for what they have earned, 344 and Allah is Swift at reckoning.

203. ( ,, 5> ^svj. . . \yyS\y\ ) And remember Allah on the days num-
bered. 345 Then whoso hastens 346 away even in two days, 347 on him is no sin, and
whoso stays On, 348 on him is no sin, 34 " -/Ms for him who fears Gcd 360 And fear
Allah, 351 and know that to Him you will be gathered

204 (^ Ujijj . . . ^ ) And of mankind is he 35 - whose discourse for
the purpose of this world 353 thou admirest* 54 and he takes Allah to witness 355 as
to what is in his heart, while he is the most contentious of opponents. 356

205. (aU^if . . . LSI ) And when he turns away he speeds through the
land so that he may make mischief therein and destroy the tillage and the stock. 367
And Allah approves not mischief.

206. (dJ^M . . . lil'j) And when he is told : 'fear Allah', arrogance 358
prompts him to sin Enough for him is Hell : surely an ill resort !

207. (a [^Ij . . . . ^ ^ And of mankind is he 369 who sells his life seek-
ing the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is Tender to His servants. 360

343. (in both the worlds).

344. (and for which they have longed).

345. i e„ on the 10th, 11th and 12th of Zul-Hijja, in Mina, a suburb of
Makka about 3 miles, due north. Note that the injunction to remember God is
reiterated once more.

346. (to Makka).

347. i. e., after only two clays' stay in Mina,

348. i, e., stays on for the third day in Mina.

349. (as both procedures are equally allowable).

350. i. e., all these injunctions are for those who are regardful &f
their duties to God ; only the God-fearing will profit by them.

35 1 . i. c, rest assured.

352. t. e., the hypocrite.

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 133

353. i. e„ with a view to dissembling his unbelief.

354. (O Prophet ! for its fair words).

355. (falsely all the while).

356. (of God).

357. (by setting fire to somebody's corn, or by killing his neighbour's asses).
So great is his love of mischief and wickedness, and so anti-social are his proclivi-
ties !

358. i. e. } false sense of self-respect or prestige.

359. i. e., the true believer.

360. (having solicitude, senstive regard and compassionate care for them).

134 Part II

>*'X^ >yx^

208. (^jla^ . . . 1 4 jIj) you who believe! enter into Islam 361 wholly," 2
and do not follow the foot-steps of Satan; 363 surely he is to you an enemy
manifest. 201

2 09- {{£<^ ■ . . ls U ) Then if you slip 305 after what has come to you of
the evidences, know that Allah is Mighty, 366 Wise. 367

210. (>3^))| . . . U) Do they 368 await only that Allah shall come to
them in the shadows of the clouds 369 and also the angels, 370 and the affair is
already decreed? 371 And to Allah are all affairs returned. 372

SECTION 26

211. (^UuJ! . . , J«) Ask thou 373 the Children of Isra'il, how many a
manifest sign 374 We brought to them. 375 And whoso alters the favour of Allah 376
after it has come to him, 377 then surely Allah is Stern in chastising. 378

212. (i__>Lu:x . . . _»:) Fair-seeming is made the life of this world 378 to
those who disbelieve, and they scoff at those who believe, whereas those who
fear God shall be above them 380 on the Day of Judgment. And Allah provides 381
whom 382 He will without measure. 383

361. *Xw literally is 'peace, reconciliation, self-resignation or submission.'
And ..JUJl with the definite article, is synonymous with Ajb\ as meaning the
religion of the Muslims; because it is a religion of self-resignation, or submission/
(LL)

362. i. e. accept, and act on, the law of Islam in its every little detail.
'Islam embraces life in its totality. It takes World and Hereafter, soul and body,
individual and society, equally into consideration." (Muhammad Asad, Islam on the
Crossroads, pp. 119-120). It is, to use a word of recent origin, totalitarian. 'By a
million roots/ says a Christian observer, 'penetrating every phase of life, all of them
with religious significance, it is able to maintain its hold upon the life of the Moslem
peoples/ The secular and the religious, the material and the spiritual are not
separated in the all-inclusive system of Islam. Whatever may be true of other

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah ' 135

faiths and crenels, in Islam religion is the very breath of life; it matters above
everything ; it is the mainspring of a Muslim's conduct. The address is to the new
converts from Judaism in particular.

363. (by accepting the code of Islam only in part). Islam calls for the
complete transformation of personality ; and a convert to Islam must be renewed in
every corner of his being.

364. (suggesting innovations and modification in God's perfect scheme of
laws and ordinances). The exhortation is primarily addressed to such Jewish and
Arab converts as had not adopted all the rites and customs of the new religion and
had still scruples about some of them.

365. (from the true path).

366. i. e.y Able to inflict any punishment any moment.

367. (Who punishes only at the right moment).

368. i. e., the infidels.

369. The reference is to the anthropomorphic conception of the Jews who
held the clouds as the chariot of God. Cf. the Bible :— 'Bless the Lord, O my

soul Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters : who maketh the

clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind/ (Ps. 104; 1, 3).
'Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt/ (Is.
19: 1).

370. (as the ministers of His judgment).

371. The meaning is: Do they await the hour when repentance will not
avail and declaration of belief will not benefit ?

372. (for requital and judgment).

373. (O Prophet !)

374. (of Our special favour).

375. (as also how uniformly they have maintained their attitude of rebel-
lion).

376. To alter the favours of Allah is to misuse His gifts, and instead of
profiting by His clear signs and obtaining guidance from them, to pervert and
misinterpret them deliberately.

377. (and they are, in many instances, endowed with the cherished posses-
sions of this world) .

378. (both in this world and the Next). 'The fear of incurring this punish-
ment is one of the reasons why Muslims have been so scrupulously careful to pre-
serve the text of the Quran/ (Rev. E. M. Wherry).

379. (with abundance).

380. (in rank and station).

381. (with sustenance, and in abundance) in accordance with His universal
plan.

382. (of His creatures).

383. (so mere material prosperity is no criterion of happiness, and an
exuberance of wealth is by no means a measure of moral worth, whether of indivi^
duals or of communities and nations).

136 Part 1/

■ ri ^ ( r£fe

21 3. (pft&ju^ . . . ^^) Mankind was one community 384 thereafter 385
Allah raised prophets 386 as bearers of glad tidings 387 and warners, 388 and He sent
down with them the Book 389 with truth so that He may judge 390 between
mankind respecting what they disputed. And none disputed thereof 391 save those
to whom it 302 was given 393 after the evidences had come to them, 394 out of spite
among themselves. 395 Then Allah guided those who believed in the truth of that
respecting which they 396 disputed, by His leave. 397 Allah guides whom He will
to a path straight.

214. (i^p . . . f !) Do you 398 imagine that you will enter the Garden 399
while yet there has not come upon you the like of what came upon those who
have passed away before you ? 400 There touched them adversity and distress,
and so shaken were they, 401 that even their Messenger 402 and those who believed
with him said : 403 'when comes the help of Allah ?' 404 Lo ! surely Allah's help
is nigh. 405

384. (originally, following the one true religion). This implies that
originally there was but one religion in the world— the religion of Monotheism.
Contrary to the conclusions arrived at by an older generation of scientists and
pseudo-scientists, recent discoveries both in Archaeology and Anthropology have
proved that monotheism, not polytheism, was the religion of the oldest races of
mankind. 'The evidence of Anthropology/ says a leading archaeologist of the day,
Sir Charles Marston, 'will be cited in these columns to prove that the original
religion of the early races was actually Monotheism or something very like it.' (The
Bible is True, p. 25) 'The theory of the evolution of Religion is contradicted by
the evidence of both Archaeology and Anthropology/ (p. 29) 'This is the very careful
and deliberate conclusion of Dr. Langdon, Professor of Assyriology at Oxford, pro-
bably the greatest living authority on cuneiform literature As a result of his

excavations at Kish, Dr. Langdon writes : "In my opinion, the history of the oldest
religion of man is a rapid decline from monotheism to extreme polytheism and

/. Surat-ul-Baqarah 137

■ h i • : ___—

wide-spread belief in evil spirits. It is in a very true sense the history of the fall of
man." (pp. 58, 61) 'Thus is the evidence, from those most ancient libraries of
cuneiform tabids, that Monotheism was the original religion. And there is confir-
mation of this great fact from other sources, especially from the Science of
Anthropology. Along, with this is the evidence of a universal belief in a Future
Life/ (p. 265) 'I may fail to carry conviction in concluding that, both in Sumerian
and Semitic religions, monotheism preceded polytheism and belief in good and evil
spirits. The evidence and reasons for this conclusion, so contrary to accepted and
current views have been set down with care and with the perception of adverse
criticism. It is, I trust, the conclusion of knowledge and not of audacious precon-
ception/ (Langdon, Semitic Mythology, Introduction, p. xviii). See also p. ix.
n. 280 : xxv. n. 45.

385. i. e. } when self-interest and iniquity had created schisms and divisions
and the Divine truth had been obscured. 'Monotheism in the Old Testament, and
Islamic Monotheism, were not the results of direct evolution from polytheism. It
was a false conception of the history of religions to suppose that polytheism was
necessarily connected with low types of culture. In fact polytheism was character-
istic of the greatest cultures of antiquity, but it grew out of monotheism, and was
only a theological interpretation of primitive monotheism/ (Dr. Langdon, quoted in
Marston's Bible Comes Alive, p. 26). See also Schmidt's Origin and Growth of
Religion.

386. (to unite the people on the path of truth).

387. (to the believers).

388. (to the rejecters).

389. 'Book/ singular in form, is here plural in meaning, denoting as a
generic noun, all Divine Books.

390. (thereby: with the Divine Book as the criterion).

391. i. e., concerning the very Scriptures themselves.

392. I. e., the Book.

393. i. e., religious leaders and men of the priestly class who are the first
and foremost custodians of all Scriptures.

394. (and they had fully understood them. This makes their offence all the
more serious.

395. (and not out of any honest intellectual difference of opinion). This
mutual spite and strife is always caused by scramble for wealth and power, which in
its turn is the direct outcome of materialism or love for this world. (Th.).

396. i. e., the rejecters of faith.

397. (and the believers are thus spared the distraction caused by doubts and
disputations).

398. (O Muslims!) The words are primarily addressed to the Makkan
emigrants suffering grievously from poverty and hunger.

399. (without any toil or trial).

400. Entry into Heaven presupposes some measure of suffering — maybe in
certain cases, exceedingly slight— either mental or physical in this world. The
higher one's spiritual ambitions, the greater the trials and tribulations one is expect-
ed to undergo. And none could be greedier of spiritual advancement than the
Muslims of the Prophet's time, his 'companions. 5 Hence their readiness to undergo
the hardest afflictions in the service of God's religion.

401. Cf. the Bible: — 'The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold ;
but the Lord trieth the hearts.' (Pr. 17-3) 'Many arc the afflictions of the righteous'
(Ps. 34: 19). 'We must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God.'
(Ac. 14: 22)

402. (of his time).

403. (overwhelmed with sorrow and gloom).

404. (which is promised to us). This is how they prayed. Not that they
were at all sceptical of the arrival of Divine assistance but its precise time being not
revealed to them, they naturally began to pray for it with extreme fervour. (Th.).

405. This is how their prayer was answered. The Muslims of the holy
Prophet's time are heartened thereby with the approaching triumph of their cause.

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 139

-rBJDI ./US"'''

ti>iw

215. ( fi Xs: . . . (_$;; ? j.i^j ) They 406 ask thee 407 as to how 408 they will spend.
Say thou : 'whatever you spend of wealth, 408 let it be for parents and kindred
and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, 410 and whatever good you do,
surely Allah is Knower thereof. 411

216. (^JUJ . . . i^S$) Ordained for you is fighting, 412 abhorrent as it
may be to you. 413 Haply you abhor a thing while it is good for you, 414 and haply
you desire a thing, while it is bad for you. Ailah knows 415 and you do not
know. 416

406. i. e. s some of the Muslims.

407. (O Prophet!)

408. i. e., as to the amount what, and the occasion when. \& is sometimes, as
here, synonymous with &} )

409. (according to your means), y^ is here 'wealth' or 'substance/ and
not 'good' as misinterpreted by several translators of the Qur'an.

410. A perfectly natural and rational order to beneficence, descending from
the parents and near relatives to strangers, and taking in its fold eVery conceivable
case of need.

411. (and shall reward accordingly).

412. War, it has been truly said, is sanctioned by the law of nature^ — the
constitution of man and the constitution of society — and is at times a biological and
sociological necessity. Islam, the ideal practical religion, has allowed it, but only in
cases of sheer necessity. In Christianity, 'the coming Day of the Lord is associated
with terrible wars ... In the Epistles, St. Paul shows in a dozen references to a
soldier's career that he looked at it with interest and even with sympathy.' (DB. IV
p. 895) And speaking historically, the contrast, says a Christian writer, between
the Christian and the Muslim warriors 'has not been so sharp as is often supposed.
The Saxon wars of Charles the Great were avowedly religious wars, and differed
chiefly from the Syrian wars of Omar and of Ali ... in that they were much more

140 ^ Part II

protracted and vastly less successful/ (Bosworth Smith, op. cit t pp. 184-85) See
n. 267 ff. above.

413. Persecuted, harassed, afflicted, poverty-ridden, exiled, and small in
numbers as the Muslims were at the time of the enactment of warfare, it was but
natural that they were none too fond of crossing swords with the mighty forces that
had conspired for their extirpation. Nothing short of express and emphatic Divine
command could urge them on to the field of battle. And yet the Islamic Jihads are
declared to be "designed" by the Prophet "to satisfy his discontented adherents by
an accession of plunder!" (Margoliouth). Such is this European scholar's love of
veracity ! Such is his wonderful reading of history !

414. The reluctance on the part of Muslims, in some instances, may be due
to the fact that the infidels they were asked to fight against, were their own relatives
and fellow^townsmen.

415. (the true inwardness of everything and its full effects).

416. (so the safest and wisest course for you is to follow implicitv the statutes
of God).

//. SQrat-ul Baqarah 141

SECTION 27

217. { ^i. . . . jjtf^rtirf) They ask thee 417 of the sacred month, 418 of
fighting therein. Say thou : 'fighting therein 41 ' is grievous ; 420 but hindering
people™ 1 from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and in the sanctity of the
Sacred Mosque 422 and driving out its dwellers therefrom 423 are more grievous 424
with Allah, 425 and misch'ef 426 is far more grievous 427 than blood-shed. 428 And
they will not cease fighting you with a view to making you apostatize from your
religion, if they could. 429 And he who among you apostatizes 430 from his faith
and dies while he is an infidel,— then these are the very ones whose works shall
be of no effect 431 in this world and the Hereafter, 432 and they shall be the inmates
of the Fire. Therein they shall be abiders.

218. (*£->. j . , , A) Surely those who have believed and those who
have emigrated 433 and have striven hard in the way of Allah 434 all these hope for
the mercy of Allah. And Allah is Forgiving, 435 Merciful. 436

219. ( ..jXixj . . .iJJjJJL-j) They ask thee 437 of wine 438 and gambling. 439
say thou : 'in both is a great sin 440 and some benefit for men, 441 but the sin of
them is greater than their benefit'. 442 And they ask thee as to what they shall
spend. 443 Say thou : 'redundant portion'."* Thus does Allah expound to you
His commandments so that you may ponder— 446

220. (-*£*. ... >) On this world 446 and the Hereafter. And they 447 ask
thee 448 of orphans. 410 Say thou : 'to set right affair for them 460 is best. 461 If you
mix with them, 452 then they are your brethren ; 453 Allah knows the foul-dealer 464
from the fair-dealer. 456 And had Allah so willed, He could have afflicted you; 468
surely Allah is Mighty, 467 Wise. 468

417. (O Prophet!)

418. i. e., Rajab, one of the four months held sacred by the Arabs.

419. (knowingly), i. e. knowing it to be the month of Rajab.

142 Part n

420. (which sin no Muslim has been guilty of). The pagans had charged a
certain Muslim with killing a pagan on the 1st of Rajab. The Muslim's defence,
perfectly sound, was that he took the day to be the last date of the preceding
month, and did not know that the month of Rajab had commenced.

421. (by subjecting them to the bitterest persecution).

422. (by planting images and idols in the sacred Ka'ba) The words
JvsaJl isw'! are grammatically coupled with the pronoun » in & and not with

423. (in a most cruel and heartless way). The pronoun in gj Jb \ refers to
^su«jl and not to &Jjl The Prophet and the believers alone were competent to
dwell within the sacred precincts.

424. (than the accidental slaying of a pagan).

425. (did it lie, then, in the mouth of pagans, who cared neither for the
sanctity of the sacred months nor for that of the sacred territory, and respected
neither human life nor property, wherever the terrible persecution and unspeakable
oppression of the converts to Islam was concerned, to seek refuge in the sanctity of
the 'sacred month ?').

426. (in its effects).

427. (particular and accidental).

428. See nn. 273 and 274 above. So the slaughter that Islam enjoins is to
end all slaughter, terrorism, and moral disruption. And there is all the difference
in the world between the force that is used to stop war and the force that is used to
make war. But in the words of a present-day Christian writer : 'We might as well
say that the bludgeon of the policeman and the gun of the gangster are equally crimi-
nal/ (A. G. Gardiner)

429. This pictures the furious zeal of anti-Islamic forces of the time. 'The
general war of extermination' was certainly organised and started, but not against the
infidels, as Palmer imagines in ostensible innocence. It was organised and started
by them against Islam.

430. In the law of Moses, apostasy was punishable with death. 'If thy
brother .... entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, .... thou

shalt surely kill him; And thou shall stone him with stones, that he die.'

(Dt. 13:6-10)

And in Christianity, 'Wilful apostasy was, of course, an inexpiable offence,
and ranked with murder and adultery. 5 (ERE, 1, p. 623)

431. (as rebellion in the end naturally annuls all previous deeds of loyalty
and virtue).

432. (in obvious consequence of their desertion of the true faith). In Islam,
the penalty of apostasy as an offence both against the religion and the Islamic State
is death, as ordained in the traditions of the Prophet.

433. (from the territory of the infidels to a place of refuge on account of

//, Surat-ul-Baqnrah 143

religious persecution, and in pursuance of their duty to God).

434. &{& as a term of Islamic law, is readiness to secrifice life and posses-
sions for the cause of Islam. Literally, it is 'the using, or exerting one's utmost
power, efforts, endeavours, or ability, in contending with an object of disapproba-
tion V fLL).

435. (so He shall forgive accidental mistakes).

436. (so He shall reward them for their true faith and forced exile).

437. (O Prophet!)

438. ^. is 'any intoxicating thing, that clouds or obscures (lit. covers) the
intellect/ and 'has a common application to intoxicating compressed of juice of
anything/ (LL) So the term 'wine' here is a synonym for all intoxicating drinks.
The Jews of the Prophet's time were hard hit by the Qur'anic 'Prohibition' since
the liquor trade was largely in their hands. And it is amusing to find a modern
representative of that worthy race with pretension to Islamic learning and scholar-
ship, narrate the incident with bewailing and sneering ill-concealed : — 'When the
revelation came, zealous followers went round the houses of the Moslems and
emptied their vessels of all liquor which was supposed to be intoxicating, in many
cases breaking the vessels themselves ; and trading Moslems who brought wine home
from Syria after this event were compelled to pour their earnings away ; nor was
milder treatment meted out to those orphans whose property had been invested by
their guardians in wine. The prohibition was extended to vinegar made of wine and
a categorical denial was given to the suggestion that wine had medicinal value.'
(Margoliouth, Mohammad, p. 283) See also P. VII. nn. 31, 38.

439. ^^ originally 'the game, or play, with unfeathered and headless
arrows' is, in its wider acceptance, as here, any game of hazard ; or play of stakes,
or wagers, so that even the game of children with walnuts is included under this
name by Mujahid.' (LL) It may shortly be defined as wagering money or other
valuable things upon the outcome of an event, or making money on some chance.
The diffusion, both in the past and present, of the practice of gambling may be
gauged from a persual of the following : — 'Games of chance are as old and as wide-
spread as humanity . . . The Greeks already in Homer had their knuckle-bones . . .
marked with numbers on four sides to serve as dice .... Among the Romans,
children played at "heads or tails" with coins .... The Israelites used the draw-
ing of lots to ascertain the Divine will in rpgard to such matters as assignation of
lands, choice of an officer, -determining the rotation of office or to identify an
offender .... The gambling habit infected the purity of the early Christians.
Instruments of gambling are found in their tombs .... On the Aryan races
gambling has had a special hold." (ERE. VI. pp. 163-164). 'The extent to which
gambling prevails at the present time is difficult to assess .... Most of it is centred
in the horse-racing .... On the whole, it. may safely be asserted that little short of
^100,000,000 changes hands every year in England in connection with gambling

144 Part 11

■

transactions/ (ib.) 'Despite laws against gambling in most states and territories, it
continued openly in various sections until New York, in 1881-1884, launched an
anti-gambling drive which was copied by many other cities. However, gambling is
still prevalent under cover/ (CE. III. p. 826) And what shall one say of the Derby
horse-race in England and of the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby races in
America? See also P. VII, nn. 32, 39.

440. 'Side by side with the betting odds and betting tips, the newspapers
record the tragic results on those who yield to the temptation. In 13 years (1895-6
to 1906-7) there were 156 suicides or attempted suicides in England assigned lo
this case, as well as 719 cases of theft or embezzlement, and 442 bankruptcies/
(ERE. VT. p. 168)

441. 'Alcohol's most useful sphere of action is as a solvent in industrial
concerns. It has also some uses as an external application 5 (Dastur, Alcohol : Its Use
and Misuse, p. 109).

442. (and so both of them are to be interdicted). And Islam in fact has
indicted both practices as injurious and as conducive only to individual and
national demoralisation. The injuction of prohibition has had a lasting influence on
the character of the Muslim society, and making allowance for occasional breaches,
it has given to the Muslim community a general stamp of sobriety unknown
elsewhere. The fact has been acknowledged even by unfriendly observers.
'Mohammadanism may boast of a degree of temperance unknown to any other
creed/ (Muir, op. cit., p. 521) And at one of the Church Congresses held in
England in recent years, Rev. Canon Issac Taylor has said : 'Islam, above all, is
the most powerful total abstinence association in the world, whereas the extension of
European trade means the extension of drunkenness and vice, and the degradation
of the people/ And as regards gambling, even that inveterate enemy of Islam,
t). S. Margoliouth of Oxford, is constrained to admit that the total abolition of this
practice in Arabia was the 'most celebrated' of reforms effected by the Prophet
(EBr. XVII. p. 407, 11th Ed.).

443. (in voluntary charity). In verse 214 the question related to beneficia-
ries ; here it relates to the amount to be spent.

444. i. e. y whatever can be spread without detriment to the necessities of
one's own self or of those whose maintenance is obligatory on him.

445. (in the execution of these comrrtands).

446. Note the Qur'anic injunction to reflect on "this world" as well on the
"Next." The point is that the more would one ponder on this world, the more
would one be able to realise how ephemeral and how unreal it is in character, if
pursued as a goal, yet how real and how precious, if viewed as a step towards the
Eternal Life !

447. i. e., the guardians. They, as true Muslims, hesitated to have anything
to do with the property of their warcls on receiving strict orders regarding its.

//. SUrat- ul-Baqarah 145

inviolability.

448. (O Prophet!)

449. The orphan was not less than the slave the object of the Prophet's
peculiar care, for he had been an orphan himself, and what God had done for him,
he was anxious, so far as might be, to do for others/ (Bosworth Smith, op cit,
p. 251)

450. (and looking after their interests).

451. i. e., the main object to be kept in view in every dealing you may have
with them.

452. (in their financial affairs as co-partners).

453. (and so entitled to every love and affection). With equal fairness and
consideratcness are non-Muslim orphans also to be treated, if they happen to be a
Muslim's wards. (Th.)

454. Literally, the corrupter, i. e. he who wrongs the orphans.

455. (so be always fair and considerate in your dealings with them, and
beware of your duties towards them). jX*x*.)\ literally is the 'rectifier.'

456. (by constraining you to do what would be difficult for you to perform,
by issuing commandments involving hardship, such as prohibiting co-partnership
with your wards altogether).

457. (so He could have issued any injunctions, however burdensome).

458. (so He in His wisdom chose Hot to issue such commandments as were
hard to perform).

146 Part II

%£ &$ &&'j& m& >BM& &oKc £$ i j£## j ^

221. ( . y $±xj . . . U 5 ) And wed not idolatresses 459 un|ill they
believe ; 4C0 and assuredly a believing slave-girl is better 161 than an idolatress, 402
although she pleases you. 103 And wed not your women to idolaters untill they
believe ; and assuredly a believing slave is better 464 than an idolater, 465 although
he pleases you. 466 These 467 call you to the Fire, while Allah calls you to the
Garden and to forgiveness, by His leave. And He expounds His commandments
to mankind that perhaps they may be admonished. 468

SECTION 28

222. ( . ^ia3u . . . i_JJ ,.lw; .) And they ask thee 469 of menstruation. 470
Say thou : 'it is a pollution, 471 so keep away from women during menstruation, 472
and go not in unto them till they have cleansed themselves. 473 Then when they
have thoroughly cleansed themselves 474 go in unto them 475 as Allah has directed
you. 476 Surely Allah loves the repentants, 477 and He loves the cleansers of them-
selves. 476

223. LvfcJU)* , . ,fS^\,M,j) Your women are a tillage 478 for you, then go
in unto your tillage 480 as 491 you will, and provide beforehand for your souls. 482
And fear Allah, 183 and know that you are going to meet Him, and give thou
glad tidings 484 to the believers. 485

459. £5w&,Jt is literally a woman who gives God an equal, or an 'idolatress,'
but here it is used in a wider sense, meaning any woman who is an infidel. (Th.).

460. Cf. the OT: — 'Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy
daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy
son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other
gods.' (Dt. 7 : 3-4) 'And separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from
the strange wives/ (Ez. 10:11). 'And in the spirit of 'Ezra's ordinance, late
religious authorities . . . . interdicted matrimonial connections between Israelites and
all Gentiles. This prohibition is the established law of the Talmud and the
Rabbinical code.' (Westermarck, Short History of Marriage, pp. 56-57) And the

II. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 147

NT : 'Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers ; for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness V
(2 Co. 6: 14).

461. (a thousand times).

4G2. (free though she may bo).

463. (on account of her wealth or beauty).

464. (a thousand times).

465. (free though he may be).

466. (on account of his rank or substance). These restrictions do not apply
to the Muslim marriage with Jew and Christian women. They form a separate

class the people of the Book— and laws concerning them are dealt with in the

Surah 'Ma'ida 5 .

467. (infidel men and women).

468. The danger that a believer, after the intimatp relationship of marriage,
may be led into the path of infidelity and impiety is ever-present and ever-pressing.

469. (O Prophet!)

470. ■ (and of cohabitation in that period). The phenomenon of menstruation,
'though clearly a normal physiological process ... yet evidently lies on the borders
of pathological change. 5 (Geddes and Thomson, Evolution of Sex, p. 259).

471. That the mental energy, as well as the muscular strength and dexterity
even in the strongest, healthiest, and most determined women are usually somewhat
impaired during the menstrual period itself is a fact that is familiar to most women.
(Havelock Ellis, Man and Woman, p. 288) 'Even in perfectly healthy woman this
affects the whole organism to a more or less marked degree .... There is increased
nervous tension and greater muscular excitability ; reflex action is more marked and
there may be slight twitchings of the legs ; also yawning and stiffness in the neck,
and sleep is heavier than usual. There is loss of appetite and a certain amount of
digestive and intestinal disturbance with a tendency to flatulence. 5 (pp. 289-290).
c On the psychic side, even in good health there is another series of phenomena.
There is greater impressionability, greater suggestibility, and more or less diminished
self-control. Burdach stated that at this time women are more under the influence
of mesmerism .... It is at this time, in those women who are at all predisposed,
that sudden caprices, fits of ill-temper, moods of depression, impulses of jealousy,
outbursts of self-confession, are chiefly liable to occur. 5 (p. 291). 'During menstrua-
tion, a woman is exceptionally sensitive and irritable, so that she may be greatly
excited by trifling matters which at other times would arouse no obvious response . . .
The statistics of criminality in women show that a very large majority of crimes
committed by women are committed during menstruation. 5 (Bauer, Woman and Love,
I. pp. 283-284).

472. i. e., do not cohabit with them during this period. 'During menstrua-
tion, a woman shofrld refrain from intercourse. By the Mosaic law the death

punishment was allotted both to the man and to the woman who indulged in coition
while the latter was menstruating. As a matter of fact, considerations alike of
hygienic cleanliness and of sanitary precaution prohibit the performances of coitus
during this period. Severe menorrhagia, perimetritic irritation, and parametritic
inflammations, have been observed to follow such indiscretion/ (Kisch, Sexual Life
of Women, p. 173). And according to another authority, 'Incontinence during
menstruation leads to serious circulating disturbances and to the consequences of
these disturbances. ' (p. 185).

473. Far more rigid are the Biblical regulations concerning the menstruating
women. 'She shall be put apart seven days : and whosoever toucheth her shall be
unclean until the even. And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall
be unclean : every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. And whosoever
toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the even/ (Le 15 : 19-21). More onerous still are the laws prescribed by the
Jewish doctors. According to them 'the woman must reckon seven days after t,he
termination of the period. If, then, this lasts seven days, she cannot become pure
until the fifteenth day. Purification, furthermore, can be gained only by a ritual
bath ; and until the woman has taken this, she remains unclean .... In addition to
all this, a woman who does not menstruate regularly is unclean for a certain time
before she becomes aware that the period has begun, and objects which she touches
are defiled.' (JE. IX, p. 301) Many communities, peopling different parts of
the globe, have to this day very similar laws. A woman under their code, must
refrain, during the continuance of the flow, from all household duties, specially
from the preparation of food, and to approach her is often an offence. She must, like
the leper of the medieval times, wear a special garment, or call aloud to warn all
who approach her that she is unclean. . (vide Havelock Ellis, Man and Woman,
p. 15).

474. (of menstrual pollution, and have washed themselves).

475. According to the best medical opinion, both ancient and modern, the
period that immediately succeeds the cessation of the menstrual flow is one most
favourable to conception. (See Kisch. Sexual Life of Woman, p. 199).

476. i. e., in a way that is natural, lawful and clean.

477. i. e., those who turn to him in repentance after they happen to have
infringed any of His laws. i-jL; literally is one who repents much or often.

470. i, e., those who seek to be clean in body as well as in mind and spirit.
Compare and contrast the Christian aversion to bathing and personal ablutions.
'Certainly the maxim which places cleanliness next to godliness, has no place in the
biographies of the saints and heroes of monasticism, even in climates where bathing
would seem almost one of the necessities of life. Jerome warns ascetics against warm
baths as morally enervating, and in a letter to one of his female disciples denounces

//. SUxat-ul-Baqarah 149

every sort of bathing for women. Augustine allows a bath once a month only/
(DCA. II, p. 939)— See P. VI. n. 200; XI n. 67.

479. :'. e., like the soil which receives the seeds and grows the plant, 'Your
wives or women, are unto you things wherein ye sow offspring ; they are thus likened
to places that arc ploughed for sowing.' (LL)

480. (and not anywhere else). The object of repeating the simile seems to
be to emphasize the fact that the begetting of children rather than carnal indulgence
is the primary goal of conjugal act.

481. Or, "when". The word j] signifies 'whence* as well as 'when,'
and 'how' and has been used in all these senses in the Holy Qur'an. In this place,
it can be interpreted by eituer 'as' or 'when/ as has in fact been done by some of
the best authorities. Even if understood in the sense of 'whence/ it only amounts
to saying, whatever posture you may adopt in entering your tilth' (and not entering
anything else), and cannot be construed by any stretch of imagination to allow any
filthy, unnatural practice.

482. i. <?., perform acts of devotion and charity all along. A powerful
reminder that moral and spiritual ends are not to be lost sight of even in the height
of carnal plasures.

483. (at all times and on all occasions). Fear of God and full realisation
of one's responsibility are to be the keynote of a Muslim's life and his every action,
big or small.

484. (of full and copious rewards in Paradise, O Prophet !)

485. (who fear their Lord constantly and have a keen sense of their respon-
sibility).

150 Part II

.ijXif , •:&■:

■ &#a^ . —

224. (*xU ... J) 5 ) And make not Allah 486 a butt of your oaths so that
you shall not act piously nor fear Allah nor set things right between men ; 487 and
Allah is Hearer, 488 Knower. 489

225. (*jj.a- . . . ijV) Allah shall not take you to task for the vain in your
oaths, 400 but He shall take you to task for what your hearts have earned, 491 and
He is Forgiving, 402 Forbearing. 493

226. ((.*=*) . . . .yj&u) For those who swear off from their wives 494 is an
awaiting of four months; 495 then if they go back, 496 surely Allah is Forgiving, 497
Merciful. 498

227. (*a1c ... ,71 .) And if they resolve a divorcement, 499 then surely
Allah is Hearer, 500 Knower. 601

486. t. e., the name of Allah.

487. The meaning is : do not swear by Allah that you would refrain from
such and such righteous and kindly acts. To refrain from them is in itself bad
enough : to bring in the name of God for that purpose — a general practice in pagan
Arabia — is awful.

488. (so beware of what you utter with your lips).

489. (so beware of what you think in your minds).

490. i. e., inadvertent or mistaken false oaths. The reference is obviously to
the oaths of an assertory kind, which call God to testify to the truth of an assertion
of fact, past or present, and not to the promissory oaths which are a sort of pledge
to be fulfilled in the future.

491. (by uttering a false oath deliberately).

492. (so He overlooks rash and inadvertent oaths in this world altogether).

493. (so He does not inflict punishment for even sinful oaths immediately,
but defers it till the Day of Judgment).

494. (for an indefinite period of abstinence or for a definite period exceeding
four months.) )lj| is 'an oath that one shall not go in to one's wife/ or a 'vow of
abstinence from one's wife/ It was a recognised pre-Islamic form of repudiating

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 151

one's wife and a denial of her rights for a period, definite or indefinite. In Islam
the legal effect of such conduct amounts to a single revocable divorce.

495. This is to prevent so important a step being taken hastily or in the heat
of passion, and for cool consideration and deliberation, during which either the
husband may re-establish the marital relations, or at the end of which the wife may
be automatically released. A wise check on the impulsiveness of the husband.

49G. (on their vow within the prescribed period, and are reconciled to their
wives, then they may retain them without incurring any sin) D| jJ4j signifies,
'He reconsidered the affair, or case.' And means, 'The man who had sworn to
abstain from conjugal intercourse with his wife, expiated his oath and returned to
her/ (LL)

497. (so He will forgive them their sin by dispensing with their oaths after
requiring them to pay a small sum by way of expiation).

498. (so He will show mercy to the husband who has now reverted to
rendering his duties by his wife).

499. :'. e., if even after careful consideration and full deliberation, the
husband has resolved on divorce, and accordingly has not reasserted his marital
relations within the period, final separation at the end of it is effected thereby auto-
matically. The dissolution of marriage by the husband's own act, that is, by his
making a declaration to that effect in appropriate words is called -ft^. .

500. (so He hears their oaths).

501. (so He knows their reso.ve).

152 p ar t //

*&( __ *&&

V j ^^jfejj.&^t (S*V —

228. ( jH ^ . . . i-jlUojI' )_ And the divorced 802 women 803 shall keep
themselves in waiting for three courses; 504 nor is it allowed to them that they
should conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, 805 if they believe in Allah
and the Last Day. 506 And their husbands are more entitled to their restoration 507
during the same, 508 if they 506 desire rectification. 510 And to women is due* n like 512
what is due from women 513 honourably. 514 And for men there is a degree 616 above
them. 516 And Allah is Mighty, 517 Wise. 518

SECTION 29

229. (^JLfeJl . . . JIM) Divorce 518 is twice; 820 thereafter either retaining
her honourably or releasing her kindly. 521 And it is not allowed to you to take away
aught of what you have given them, 522 except when the twain fear that they may
not observe the bounds of Allah. 523 Then, if you fear 524 that the twain may not
observe the bounds of Allah, there is no blame on the twain for that with which
she redeems herself. 625 These are the bounds of Allah, therefore do not tres-
pass them. 626 And whoso trespasses the bounds of Allah, then it is those who
are the ungodly.

230. (^JUj . . . Jii) If he divorces her finally,™ she is not lawful for
him thereafter unless she weds 628 a husband other than he; 6 " then if he 580 also
divorces her, there is no blame on the twain 631 if they return to each other, 682
provided they think 633 that they will now observe the bounds of Allah. 5 " And
these are the bounds of Allah, 636 He expounds them to a people who know.* 88

502. The course of divorce, or the dissolution of the marriage tie, among
ancient nations has been erratic, some making it too loose, others making it too tight.
Speaking sociologically, every religion has to meet two ends in the sphere of marriage
and family — to raise the standard of morality and to sanctify the marriage contract.
But in practice some religions have become too lenient, others too rigid. The Jewish
law allows it as a matter of no great concern. If husband finds 'some uncleanness
in her ; then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and

//. SOrat- ul-Baqarah 1 53

send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go
and be another man's wife/ (Dt. 24: 1, 2). Christianity, on the other hand, taking
its stand on the reported saying of Jesus : 'What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man part asunder . . . Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another,
committeth adultery against her. (Mk. 10:9, 11), and also upon the dictum of
Paul: 'Let not the wife depart from her husband/ (1, Co. 7: 10), has interdicted
divorce altogether. The Catholics hold : 'When the sacrament of matrimony has
been received by a man and a woman and ratified by their cohabitation as husband
and wife, their union cannot be dissolved except by death/ (CD. p. 477). The
climax was reached in the rules of the Roman Catholic Church . . . (It) 'treats
marriage as a sacrament and demands indissolubility and unchanging fidelity. This
in itself is unreasonable. Judaism takes account of the mutability of human feelings,
and free people when the chains of matrimony become fetters ; but the Catholic
Church refuses to recognise any such change of feeling. The bonds of matrimony
become a chain as heavy and galling as iron in which two people must languish for
the term of their natural lives/ (Bauer, Women and Love, II, p. 291). The
Protestants allow it no doubt, but only on such grounds as are of comparatively rare
occurrence — fornication, for instance. Islam has steered its course midway between
the two, avoiding the extremes of either making divorce too rigid or banning it
altogether, or of making it too loose and frivolous. Islam has adopted the only wise
course open — that of imposing certain conditions and limitations upon the right of
the husband to dissolve the matrimonial bond, the object of which is 'to ensure that
the husband was not acting in haste or anger and that separation becomes inevitable
in the interests of the husband and the wife and the children/ ('Abdur Rahlm,
op. cit., p. '336).

503. (whose marriage has consumated, and who are of menstruating age and
are free, not bondwomen). For other classes of wives the regulations are different.

504. (during which period they shall not remarry). 'Iddat' literally means
counting and in law it means the time during which the wife must wait after the
cessation of marriage before she can marry again. When dissolution of the marriage
has been brought about by talSq, 'iddat will be imposed only if there has been
consummation or valid retirement. The period of probation for a woman, who has
been divorced, is, according to the Hanafl law, the period covered by three menstrual
courses and according to the Shafi'Is and Malikls the period covered by three
intervals, and in the case of an old woman or of a girl of immature age it is three
months/ ('Abdur Rahlm, op. cit., p. 341). The imposition of 'iddat is a distinc-
tive feature of the Islmic law of divorce; > J is 'A menstruation ; and a state of
purity from the menstrual discharge : thus having two contrary meanings/ (LL).

505. (either of conception or menstruation).

506. (as this concealment would interfere with the reckoning of the legal
'iddat and that would in its turn lead to the infringement of the Law in various

154 Part II

other ways).

507. (than that the divorce be made absolute and irrevocable). Divorce,
though perfectly legitimate in itself, is not to be had recourse to light-heartedly or
on flimsy grounds. Verses like the above tend to discourage the practice, unless, of
course, there be strong reasons for taking the step, or the incompatibility of tempera-
ments be well-established. The Prophet is also reported to have observed :— 'Of all
the permissible acts, divorce is the most disapproved of by Allah/

508. i. e., within the period prescribed.

509. i. e., the husbands.

510. The proviso is significant. Husbands are to take back their wives if
they are really keen on reconciliation, and not with a view to harassing them.

511. (from men).

512. (in kind) : i. e., in being obligatory.

513. (to men). In plainer language : women have rights quite similar to
those of men. This bold and explicit declaration of the rights of women centuries
and centuries before a Mill dreamt of writing on the 'Subjection of Women,' has
no parallel in the pages of other Divine Scriptures. Contrast with this the attitude
of the Bible which as a punishment of the sin of Eve makes wife a subject to her
husband who is to rule over her. 'According to the Old Testament, woman is
responsible for the fall of man, and this became the cornerstone of Christian teach-
ing .. . It is a remarkable fact that the gospel (barring divorce, Mt. 19 : 9)
contain not a word in favour of woman . . . The epistles of St. Paul definitely
insist that no change can be permitted in the position of woman ... St. Jerome has
aught but good to say of woman. "Woman is the gate of the devil, the road of evil,
the sting of the scorpion. " Canon law declares : "Man only is created to the image
of God, not woman : therefore woman shall serve him and be his handmaid." The
Provincial Council of Macon (sixth century) seriously discussed the question
'whether woman had a soul at all.* (Krafft-Ebing, Psychopathia Sexualis, p. 4.
n. 12th Ed.) The effect of the teachings of the Jewish rabbis and Christian fathers
was that in the course of history 'woman was represented as the door of hell, as the
mother of all human ills. She should be ashamed at the very thought that she is a
woman/ (Lecky, History of European Morals, II, p. 357-58). See also P. V. n. 73.

Islam grants full dignity to woman as a human being. Each sex is meant to
complement the other. Woman is not sub-human. The true relation between the
sexes is of interdependence.

514. This implies, by the way, the principle of moder.i 'Veracism' which
demands on behalf of* the maiden entering upon marriage that her husband be as
chaste and sexually as unspotted as herself and denies the largely prevailing bisexual
ethical standard in the West allowing one set of sexual honour for the male, another
for the female.

515. (of superiority) .

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 155

516. 'The zest of power and knowledge, the search for artistic perfection,'
observes an English sociologist with palpable feminist bias 'are usually masculine
characters/ (Havelock Ellis, Man and Woman, p. 454). 'It is generally true/
remark two distinguished European biologists, 'that the males are more active,
energetic, eager, passionate, and variable ; the females more passive, conservative,
sluggish, and stable/ (Thompson and Geddes, Evolution of Sex, p. 289). 'Man,
perhaps even down to the protein molecules of his tissue cells, is biologically different
from woman . . . The revolutionary principles collide with the very important
circumstance, namely, the biological inequality of the sexes. We must recognize
the unquestionable existence of the biological inequality of the sexes. It goes
deeper and is of far greater import than it would appear to those not familiar with
natural sciences/ (Nemilov, Biological Tragedy of Woman, pp. 75-78). The Holy
Book of God concedes the rights of woman in full — under it she can rise to equal
heights with man, consistent with her sex — yet it lends no support whatever to the
modern craze of the absolute equality of the sexes. Equality of rights and opportu-
nities is of course not quite the same thing as 'uniformity' or identity. See P. III.
n. 369; P. V. nn. 58, 73, also n. 513 above.

517. (so He could have enjoined anything He willed).

518. (so He enjoins only what is perfectly meet and proper).

519. (which is revocable). Talaq is of two kinds, raja't or that which permits
of the husband resuming conjugal relations, and bn'in or that which separates. The
former is generally translated as revocable and the latter as irrevocable or absolute.
A divorce which is revocable in the inception, becomes absolute or irrevocable if the
'iddat, or period of probation, is allowed to elapse without the husband having
revoked either by express words or conduct.' ('Abdur Rahlm, op. cit. p. 336).

520. i. e., can be pronounced only twice after which it shall be final and
irrevocable, unlike the divorce of the pagan days which could be revoked after being
pronounced any number of times.

521. i. e., after the two periods of temporary separation, make your final
choice — either take her back in love and amity, or let her go finally but in any case,
be honourable and kind. The goal of matrimony in Islam is to unite two lives, to
bring happiness to the couple, and to instil mutual amity, harmony, responsible
co-partnership and good fellowship in the pair. Now human nature being what it
is, it. sometimes happens that even with the best of motives and after repeated trials,
the union remains unhappy. The only remedy then is to unfasten the wedding-tie.
Even then, the husband, is enjoined by the Qur'an not to dismiss the wife in
disgrace, or with a view to humiliating her but to let her off kindly, with due regard
to his chivalry and her tenderness, and with a view to securing peace of mind both
for her and himself.

522. (even though it be what you have yourself given her in dowry). The
husband has to pay dower in full if he takes the initiative in the divorce}.

523. (by continuing to live as husband and wife, i. e., the duties and obli-
gations as husband and wife required by the law of Islam.

524. The address is to the Muslims in authority or the guardians of the
pair.

525. (and obtains her relief). If the wife claims the dissolution of marriage
she must be prepared to sacrifice the dower that was otherwise hers to free herself

thereby.

526. i. e., these are the commandments of God meant to be obeyed and are
not trivialities to be trilled with.

527. i. e., if he pronounces the third, the irrevocable divorce, after the two
revocable ones. 'The most approved form of repudiation is that the husband should
pronounce the sentence once during a tuhr or period of purity of the wife and then
let the divorce become absolute by expiry of the period of probation. The next
best form is to pronounce one sentence of repudiation during a period of purity for
three such periods so that on the third pronouncement the repudiation would
become irrevocable. In the first form there is a greater guarantee than in the
second against hasty and ill-advised action. But if divorce be pronounced while the
wife is not in a state of purity or if divorce is at once expressed to be irrevocable
such as the husband saying, "I have divorced thee irrevocably," ... the result will
be irrevocable divorce though the law regards a repudiation in this form with
disapproval as being an innovation/ ('Abdur Rahim, op. cit. pp. 336-337).

528. (after the expiry of her Hddat of three months).

529. (and this second marriage has been consummated).

530. i. e., this second husband.

. 531. i. e. t the wife and the former husband.

532. (in wedlock, after the expiry of the second term of Hddat).

533. i. e., consider it probable.

534. t. e., will behave properly and shall not commit excesses against each
other. 'Even after an irrevocable divorce the law permits the parties to remarry,
but in case the divorce was by pronouncement of three sentences or a triple divorce,
the law adds as a condition precedent to reunion that the woman should be married
to another man and such second marriage should have been lawfully terminated
after consummation and the period of probation on account of the second marriage
should have expired. The professed object of the law in adding this condition is to
discourage such divorces/ ('Abdur Rahim, op. eit. p. 337).

535. (so, far from infringing them, beware of treating them lightly).

536. (as it is people with knowledge who alone can profit by these Divine
ordinances).

//. Surat-ul-Baqarah 157

..'<-'f - } \-'"

r«jJiJ> _ v - ) *^"

231. (* A ic . . . iiSI ,) And when you have divorced your women 537 and
they have attained their period, 538 then either retain them honourably or release
them kindly : s3a and do not retain them to their hurt so that you may trespass; 540
and whoso does this assuredly wrongs his soul. And do not hold Allah's com-
mandments in mockery, 5 ' 11 and remember Allah's favour upon you, 542 and that He
has sent down upon you the Book and wisdom with which He admonishes you.
And fear Allah, 543 and know that surely Allah is the Knower of everything. 544

SECTION 30

232. ( ^JU3 . . . Ul 5 ) And wnen y° u have divorced 545 women and they
have attained their period, 546 do not straiten them so that they will not rewed
their husbands, 547 after they have agreed between themselves honourably. 548
Hereby is admonished he among you who believes in Allah and the Last Day :
this is cleaner for you and purer. 549 Allah knows 550 and you do not know. 561

537. (a divorce which is yet revocable).

538. (of waiting), i. e., the term of Hddat has been reached, but has not yet
expired.

539. This is for a second time that husbands are enjoined to behave towards
their wives honourably and generously whether they retain them or divorce them.
The duty to be kind, fair, and chivalrous towards the wives is not contingent on
something else ; it is unconditional. See nn. 521 and 522 above.

540. (the bounds of law). Observe the emphasis with which the Qur'an,
as the spokesman of the helpless and the weak, defends and safeguards the rights of
the divorced women. It is ceitainly not the Holy Qur'an, but the Bible, which
treats of the man as the owner, and the woman as his chattel, his possession. (Cf.
EBi. c. 1498). See also n. 522 above.

541. i. e., do not treat these ordinances lightly. To disregard God's
commandments is a grievous sin : to hold them up to mockery is positive blasphemy.
(Th). The words are suggestive of the seriousness of the step involved in the

divorce. Such solemn affairs of life are surely no matters of jest. There is also a
precept of the Prophet to the effect that no jesting is allowed in three things,
namely, marriage, divorce, and manumission. ^XJle^Lif m this context are clearly
God's commandments, not His 'signs, ' as generally mistranslated.

542. (O Muslims!)

543. 1. e., fear of God must be the spring of your action in all your dealings.

544. The greater the fear of the Lord and the belief in His Omniscience, the
easier the obedience of His commands.

545. Notice the features of the English law of divorce as adumbrated by a
thoughtful Englishman : — 'The fundamental defect in the law, as it stands at
present, is that it makes a particular kind of matrimonial misconduct the sine qua non
of divdrce. However irksome and intolerable the yoke, the law does not permit
release except through wrong-doing. In a sense it thus puts a premium on miscon-
duct.' Here is another testimony still more eloquent : — 'The steady increase in cases
of divorce in the United Kingdom is giving many people furiously to think ... It
is alleged by reformers, and surely with justice, that the present state of the law
overstresses the sexual aspect of marital incompatibility. Who can doubt it ? The
only effective plea for a divorce is one on the ground of the adultery of one party or
the other. The shifts to which this leads parties desirous of divorce arc almost
incredible in a modern civilised community .... The fact is that, where divorces are
obtainable on grounds other than those of sexual immorality, that unpleasant
subject arises comparatively rarely. The slights to which this heavy stress on sexual
misdemeanour puts people have already been mentioned. Evidence of cohabitation

wfth a third party is often sufficient to obtain a divorce What can be said for

a system which exists upon a basis of collusion — collusion in which lawyers play
their part ? Of a system which is productive of endless lying and deceit ! The law
as it stands serves no good purpose but provides a happy hunting ground for crooks
and adventurers/

546. (of waiting), i. e. t when 'iddat has been completed.

547. (either new or old ones whom they choose to remarry).

548. (to live as husband and wife).

549. i. e., more conducive to your spiritual health and moral welfare. High
principles and lofty moral ideals are thus to be always the end in view.

550. (and is Cognisant of all possible contingencies).

551. (so obey the Divine law implicity, and do not intrude your own
opinions and fancies).

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 159

'i^Xjl 'Jffr-

233. (jj^ . , . ^.UJUL) And mothers 552 shall suckle their children 863
two whole years ; this is for him who intends that he shall complete the suckl-
ing, 661 and on him to whom the child is born 585 is the mothers' 568 provision and
clothing honourably; 657 — not a soul 558 is tasked 669 except according to its capaci-
ty. M0 Neither shall a mother be hurt 561 because of her child nor shall he to whom
the child is born because of his child; 862 and on the heir shaft devolve the like
thereof. 503 Then if the twain 5 " 4 desire weaning 565 by agreement between them and
mutual counsel, 560 there is no blame on the twain. And if you desire to give
your children for suckling, 567 there is no blame on you when you handover what-
ever you have agreed to give her honourably. 508 And fear Allah, and know that
Allah is the Beholder of what you do.

234. (va*:L . . . &&)!*) And as for those of you who die and leave wives
behinrf, they 569 shall keep themselves in waiting 570 for four months and ten
days. 671 Then when they have attained their period, 572 there is no blame on you 873
for what they do with themselves 574 honourably. 575 Allah is Aware of whatever
you do.

552. (whether divorced or still in wedlock).

553. 'The one and only suitable food for an infant is his own mother's milk.
No other food is adapted to his constitution.' (Scharlieb, op. cit. p. 4) 'The first
duty of the mother is to suckle her child, to this duty all others should be subordi-
nated/ (p. 104.) c It is sufficient to point out how important it is alike for mother
and child, alike for family and society, that the ever more and more widely and
generally diffused practice c f the artificial feeding of infants should be abandoned,
and that there should be 2 return to the natural method according to which each
mother nurses her own in fa it. The prevailing custom costs every year thousands of
mothers their health, and t lousands of children their lives.' (Kisch, Sexual Life of
Woman, p. 195.)

554. Earlier wearir g, by implication, is lawful for those who do not desire
the completion.

160 Part II

555. i. e. t the father of the child.

556. i. e. t the suckling mothers whether they are in wedlock or in the period
of 'iddat,

557. i. e., according to what is just, reasonable and equitable.

558. (whether of man or woman).

559. (by God with duties and obligations),

560. (and it is in accordance with this general law that women are charged
with suckling and men with bearing their expenses).

561. i. e., charged with what is unreasonable or unjust.

562. Every suckling mother is to receive kind and considerate treatment by
the father of the child, and vice versa he by her, and none is to be forced into
humiliating terms by the other party.

. 563. (in case the father dies). The duty of bringing up the child on the
death of the father, devolves on his heir.

564. i. e., the parents.

565. (before the completion of two years).

566. (in the interest of the child).

567. (in their own interests, to a wet-nurse).

560. i. e., according to what is just, reasonable and equitable.

569. i. e., the widows.

570. (before they remarry, in order to be known whether they are with
child by the deceased or not).

571. (but if the widow is with child, her period of 'iddat would synchronise
witli the period of pregnancy and would expire at delivery immediately).

572. (of waiting).

573. (by your participating in their activities, or in allowing them
unfettered liberty).

574. (in looking out for new husbands). Note that it is the widows them-
selves, not their male relations, who are the active dispensers of their future.

575. i. e., provided of course that they do nothing sinful or disreputable.

//, Sumt-ut-Baqarah ]^_

235. (^jb, , , , J ) And there is no blame on you in that you speak
indirectly of your troth to the $$Id women"" or conceal it 5 " in your souls I Allah
knows that you will soon make mention of those women."* But make no pro-
mise 578 to them in secret, 6 ** except that you speak an honourable saying. 681 And
even resolve not on wedding- knot 684 until the prescribed term'" 63 has attained its
end. And know that Allah knows what is in your souls, iei so beware of Him, and
know that Allah is Forgiving, 685 Forbearing.* 85

SECTION 31

236, {.yj^wsuM * . • S) There is no blame on you" 7 if you divorce
women while yet you have not touched them 596 nor settled with them a settle-
ment 699 Benefit them ,'*** on the affluent, fs due according to his means and on
the straitened m due according to his means : m an honourable present***—
incumbent** 1 on the well- doers. rm

576. L e>j the widows in their waitmg periods.

577. *, *,, your desire to.tnarry them after the expiry of the waiting period
or 'iddat,

578. (so he has allowed this much).

579. (of wedlock).

580. (much less in open). But ^jf is also synonymous with ^SJJl (Rgh).
So the phrase may also be rendered : 'make no promise unto them of wedlock.*

58 1. *A honourable saying' in the context means to speak of the intended
marriage only indirectly — in a way that may suggest or imply, but not actually
express or mention, the intention.

502. Or 'wedlock.'

583. (of waiting).

584-, (so be on your guard even in thought and intention).

585. (to those who arc quick in repenting),

586. (and not always punish sinners Limned lately )„

162 Part ff

587, {far not paying the dower money),

5tfS, t, e., consummated your marriage.

589. (by way of dower money).

590. (j; e. t present them with a gift, in place of dower), L*x^ is *He gave
her a gift after divorce/

591. Bjjj in both places is, literally, 'according to him/.

592. »'. e., a sxii table present in any case.

593. i> *,', incumbent, not optional,

594. (and every Muslim is expected to be a Veil-doer" in this respect).

//, SWat-uhBaqarah 163

237. (v^t; ... J .) And K V OLf divorce them before you have touched
them, but have already settled with them a settlement/'** then dm from you is
half of what you have settled unless the wives forgo/ 96 or he in whose hand is
wedding -knot *' forgoes : SM and that you"* 9 should forgo 600 is higher to piety. c ° l
And do not forget grace among yourselves;" 11 - surely Allah is the Beholder of
what you do/""

238. ( „jj"jJ * . . kJi&i.) Be watchful over the prayers/ * and the middle
prayer/ 06 and stand up to Allah truly devout. 60 *

239- ( +J wJUJ ♦ . . Jj) And ff y ou fear 007 then pray on foot or riding ; 608
then when you are secure, remember- Allah in the way He has taught you 60 "
which you even knew not.

240. (aitfe* • * » 4&1L1 Ana" those of you who die and leave wives, they
shall make a bequest" to their wives a year's maintenance without their having
to go out;" 11 then if they go out* 14 then there is no blame on you for what they 613
may do with themselves honourably/ 14 and Allah is Mighty/ 1 * Wise/ 10

241, ( „aa£*J| ■ « ♦ ^s ju^ i.Q And for the divorced women an honour-
able present* 17 : incumbent on the Goc/-fearing<

595. (by way of dower money).

59t>. (their portion or one-half of the dower specified)*

597, t. e., the husband* 'The husband has a right to dissolve the marriage
as by such dissolution he only gives up his own right. Rut as marriage is founded
on contract and the above rights of the husband arise by implication of such
contract, it is open to a woman at the time of marriage or subsequently thereto to
stipulate for their curtailment or to get some of them transferred to herself such as
the right to dissolve the marriage/ {'Abdur Rahlm, op. cit, b p. 328).

598 , {his own half) i. e. t lie pays the dower-money in full,

599. i. f., husbands and wives both.

600. (rach, his or her own portion), -^Jl is here used in the sense of 'the
withdrawing from a right, or due, and from seeking, or demanding it* 1 (LL)

Part U

601. {than your insistence on the execution of your dower). So this relin-
quishment is approved of as the most commendable.

602. Acts of benevolence, and voluntary, cheerful renunciation of dues, are
far more acceptable in the sight of the Lord than insistence on one's right*. Uj
in this sense is 'a free gift, or favour, a benefit; and bounty/ (LL)

603. (and so He shall requite you in full for jour acts of benevolence and
relinquishment in favour of others).

604. i, e., all the appointed prayers, ^ Ut^u £kiLn,« >* to attend or apply
Oneself constantly to the affair. And ihe phrase in the text means: 'Perform ye
the prayers in their proper times ; or keep y* f attend ye, apply yourselves constantly
to the performance of the prayer in their propar time/ (LL)

605. (in particular). The middle prayer, according to th» majority of the
exegetes, is the afternoon (^ajs) prayer. Taitieular note is taken of this prayer as
that is usually the time of work and business. Muslims are required to be at least as
regular in their prayers as are the 'civilised nations' in their meals,

60G, (in prayer). *Sueh a sight has, indeed, been one of the contributing
motives to conversion, as an Alexandrian Jew, who embraced Islam in the year
1298, wrote of his own experience/ (Arnold, Islamic Failh, p. 29).

607. (any danger while praying) r. *., ir, for instance, you feared the
approach of an enemy.

608, (En whatever position or posture that may be possible), L e. t say your
prayers as best as you can, at their proper times even if your faces be diverted from
the qiblah, and no bowing down or prostration be possible, except by gestures.
Worthy of note is the insistence on saying prayers at their regular hours, even in
times of the greatest danger and excitement. Could a body of be[[«vers, so discip-
lined and so determined, lose any battle in the struggle for existence ?

609, I. €< say the prayers in their regular and proper way.

610. i^j, by its grammatical construction is not 'making a bequest/ but
'shall make a bequest/

61 J. The verse refers to the earlier periods of Islam, before the law of
inheritance was revealed, and when widows had no shares allotted to them in their
husbands* property. Men were then required to make bequests for one year's

maintenance and residence for their widows. The arrangement automatically
ceased when laws of inheritance came into force, and widows obtained definite
shares (one-fourth or one-eighth part) in their deceased husbands' property.
612. (of their own accord at the expiry of their Hddat).
w G13, L e. t the widows,

614. i. e. f their second marriage, for instance.

615. (so His injunctions are to be implicitly obeyed).

616. (so His injunctions are full of wisdom and benefit both to the indivi-
dual and the community),

617. [made by their husbands). 'And for the divorced women ihere shall
be a provision of necessaries with moderation,^ or right and just aim and benefi-
cence/ (LL)

f\. Sural- t/f-Baqarah 165

242. ( 4|lS*J ♦ * » i_J0Ui) Thus does Allah expound to you Hfs com-
mandments ; haply you may reflect.* 16

SECTION 32

243. ( jt ijTAj - » ■ *Jl) ^ as t thou not 610 looked at those who n2<) went forth
from their dwellings, and they were in their thousands to escape death ?* ?k Then
Allah said to them : 'die'; 622 and thereafter revived them ** 3 Surely Allah is
Gracious to man, although most men do not give thanks.

244. ( ri j^. , . , ^U J And fight in the way of Allah.* 8 * and know that
Allah is Hearer, 6 " Knower. 536

245. ( ^ . . „ , ^j Who is it that will fend to Allah a goodly loan, 15 * 1
so that He will multiply it to him manifold ? eaH And Alfah scants and amplifies,* 2 *
and to Him you aft shall be returned. 83 *

618. (and act accordingly).

619. (and b<* admonished, Q reader!) 'When j^l is made transitive by
means of ■ M it denotes consideration dial leads to the becoming admonished/

620. sometime in the remote past.

621. i. e.j to escape the risk of death by serving in a religious war.

622. (and they died). The reference is to some unknown people of anti-
quity, who in their thousands deserted their dwellings, it is related, for fear of being
compelled to serve in a Jikad, or holy war. When they reached a certain valley,
God struck them dead, through some epidemic or otherwise. Sometime later. He
restored them to life. The story may well serve as a prelude to the injunction of
fighting in the next verse; and the moral obviously is that life and death are
absolutely in the hands of the Lord.

623, Compare for a similar experience an autobiographical narrative by the
prophet Ezekiel in the OT. Ezek., 37 I 1-10.

624, (taking to heart the moral conveyed by the above story).

Pan ti

625. (who hears every word that human lips kit fall).

626. (who knows inner motives and secrets). So lie will requite .the
obedient and the disobedient both according to the deeds and motives of each,

627. (by spending in the way of God with pure- heart, by making a right
use of wealth, and by contributing to the establishment of the true religion),

628. L e.> He will reward it amply and most liberally : Cf. the NT:— -'Lay
not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and wtiere thieves do not break
through not steal.' (Mi. 6: 19, 20). Also Lk. 12: 33, 34,

629. (the means of subsistence as He wjlletb), »'. *., so do not be afraid of
poverty by spending in His cause lavishly and cheerfully.

030. {and by Him alone shall ye be judged).

//. Surxt-uf-BdQardh

167

rSjjkJf ^^_^___^^^_^_ ^— — __^_™-«— , "Ttil~

246. ( jwJUelL . . . jO Hast thou not MJ looked at the chrsfs of the
Children of Isref'il after M[isa ? caa They said to a prophet of theirs : fias 'raise for
us a king 8 " that we may fight in the way of God. ta * He said, 686 'may be that if
the fighting were prescribed for you, you would not fight'. They said : 'why
should we not fight in the way of God, whereas we have been driven away from
our dwellings and children ? ' 637 Yel when the fighting was prescribed for them,
they turned awoy, save a few of them ; 638 and Allah is the Knower of the
ungodly." 39

247. (^ic , . , JU .) And their prophet said to them : 'surely Allah has
raised over you TllSt** as a king'.*' 1 They said ! 'how can there be kingship for
him over us, whereas we are worthier of kingship than he ? 642 Nor has he been
given plentv of riches.'*" 11 The Prophet said : 'surely Allah has chosen him over
you,*" and has increased him in knowledge" 6 and physique, r ** and Allah grants
kingship to whom He will,* 17 and Allah is Bountiful,*" Knowing V**

631. (O reader!) See n. 619 above

632. i, «., after his time*

633. i.e., Samuel (on him be peace!) 'Hebrew judge and prophet. 1 lis
rule preceded the establishment of the kingly office:. Fie belonged to the tribe of
Levi, by Hannah, As judge he restored (he worship of Jehovah and put a stop to
the idolatrous practices of the Hebrews. He lived at Ramah in the hill-country of
Ep braim {) 1 10-1020 B. C.) . . , ♦ He enjoyed the esteem of the people as seer and
judge of Israil for many years .... He died at an advanced age in his home at
Ramab and was buried there amid general lamentation/ (VJE, p. 574).

634. tj^U is the chief ruler of a nation, people or tribe, 'In Palestine
almost every chieftain bore this tilled {JE. VII p. 500). 'The Philistine oppression
revealed to die Israelites the absolute necessity of untied action. In that early age
the only known form of political organisation that promised permanent indopen-
dence, was the kingship/' (Kent, Founders and Rulers of United Fsrael t 73).

635. (under him with our enemies), *The chief duty of the king was to act

168 Part U

as war-lord and commander-in-chief of the aimy/ (JE. V1J, p. 50L). Cf. ihe
OT; — *Th*n ait the defers of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to

Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him Now make us a ktng 10 judge us like

aU the nations T . . . . We will have a king over us ; that wo also may be like all the
nations \ and that our king may judge us, and go out bufore us, and fight our
battles/ (1 Sa. 8; 4-5; 19-20), gj.)\ in ihe phrase is translated as God, as the
saying is from the mouth of the Israelites.

636. . well aware as he was of the habit of indiscipline and insubordina-
tion or his people The Hebrews, loyal to their desert instincts were 'very loath

to acknowledge any central authority. An exceedingly strong pressure was required
to make them unite. That pressure was at last furnished by the Philis tines/ (Kent,
op, cit, p, 73).

637. (by our enemies). 'The Philistines were conquerors^ and slew above,
lour thousand of the Hebrews, and pursued the rest of their mnhilude to their
camp , . . . They (the Hebrews) were presently beaten as soon as they came to a
dose fight with their enemies, and lost about thirty thousand men, among which

were the sons of the high priest The whole city was full of lamentations.'

("Ant." V, lit 1-2).

G38> 'When the people about Saul observed how numerous the Philistines
were, they were under a great consternation ; and some of them hid themselves in
caves and in dens underground,, but the greater part lied into the land beyond
Jordan/ ("Ant." VI. 6:1).

639, (and shall requite diem accordingly). The wrong- doers here are those
who turned back.

640. \Saur of Bible. Reigned according to Sir Charles Mars ton's chrono-
logy from 1018 to 1003 B. C.

64 L f And when Samuet saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the
man whom I spake to thee off this same shall reign over my people/ (1 Sa 9: 17).

642. i. Cry we have a better right to kingship than he has.

643. Saul belonged to the smallest of the Israelite tribes, the tribe of
Benjamin, and his family was the smallest of all the families of ihe tribe. (Cf. I Sa
9; 21)* So he was despised by many of the Hebrews. 'The children of Beli-al
said, How shall this man save us ? And they despised him, atid brought him no
presents/ (1 Sa. 9: 27), *The greater part were ill men, who despised him, and
derided the others, who neither did bring him presents, nor did they in affection, or
even in words, regard to please him/ ("Ant/ J VI. 4: 6).

644. (and that fact alone must be sufficient to silence and convince you.)
'And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that
there is none like him among all the people ?' (1 Sa. 10 : 24).

645. (pertaining to government and military leadership),

646. L *., he is distinguished for his splendid physique and is of command-

fl Surat-ul-Baqaroh 169

ing appearance. '.First king of Israel from about 1 040 B. C noted For Ids courage
and persona! beauty/ (CE, VII. p. 2004). The Quranic word Tdlut is itself
expressive of the tallness ; and that he was ta]] and stood high is borne out by the
Bible, 'He was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward/
(I §a. 10: 23). "From bis shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the
pcoph'/ (l«Sa,9: 2). < In war be was able to march 120 miles without rest/
(JE. XT. p, 76), It was a fixed belief with the Hebrews that their leader, besides
possessing other qualities, must be tall of stature, "The Holy One, blessed be He,
does not cause Mis Sbecbinab to alight except on one who is wise, strong, rich, and
of tat I stature.' (ET. p. 128).

647. The Hebrews objected to the kingship of Saul on the ground of his
poverty. God's answer is: if he is not rich in wealth, We have made him rich in
strength and knowledge; he is your superior both in mind and in body. So he did
fight successfully the Philistines, the Moabites, the Aramaeans, and the Amatekttes.

648. (so He can elevate and exalt any humble and obscure individual He
will).

649. (sr> He knows who is fit to lead and to govern).

170 Pan ff

248. (^jJUf* . . . JUj) And their prophet said to them : 'surely the
sign** of his kingship fs that there shall come to you 6 " the ark 052 wherein is
tranquillity from your Lord 853 an$ the reiic of what the household of MQsH and
the household of Ha run had left, 05 '* the angels bearing it 655 ; surely, here is a sign
for you if you 05 " are believers at all.'

SECTION 33

249. (^^j| ~ , i . Uu) Then when TSJut sallied forth with trie hosts,
he said ; 6 " surely Allah will test you 668 with a river, 058 then whoso drinks of it
shall not be mine, and whoso tastes it not, shall be mine, excepting him who takes
a sip with his hand'.* 80 Yet they drank of it save a few of them/ 01 Then when
he had crossed it* 02 , he and those who believed with him, they said, 66 * 'we have
no strength 064 to-day against JSlut 685 and his hosts'. 606 But those who believed
reckoned that they were going to meet Allah 607 said, 'how often has a small
group 658 prevailed against a large group by God's command. And Allah is with
the steadfast'. 00 *

650. i. e., the event portending his kingship.

651. {of itself),

652. i. e., the ark of the Covenant, 'an oblong chest 2} cubits long by 1}
cubits in breadth and depth, was the most ancient and most sacred of the religious

possessions of the Hebrew nation a visible symbol of Yahowa's gracious presence.

It guided them on their journey, and led them on from victory to victory. Moreover,
c it was venerated as the divine dwelling/ (EBr. II. 1 1th Ed, p, 365). Terrified
with plague and pestilence that followed in its wake the Philistines placed the ark
on a cart driven by nobody, drawn by two cows. The beasts took it of their own
accord to Beth-Shemesh, a city of Judah. The Israelites were immensely joyed and
highly cheered at its miraculous restoration. The ark *was placed by Solomon in
the first temple, after the destruction of which it docs not reappear .... Some still
hold that it lies hidden beneath the temple site, 1 (VJE. p. 50).

653. i« *♦, tablets of the law, fragments of Torah : the sacred articles radiat-
ing tranquillity or peace of mind.

//. Suntt-ul-Baqarah 171

654. (such as the shoes and the rod or Moses, the miter of Aaron, their
garments, etc.),

655. Trio angles were directing the beasts that were drawing the ark-cart*
f>5&, 'Through the prophet Samuel, the champion Saul is discovered

He wins victory ..... The ark is brought back to the joy of the people/ (Elosmer,
The Jews, pp. 1 8-20). This is in harmony with the Quran. Yet some Christian
worthies have thought it fit to assert positively, on the sole authority of the First
Book of Samuel (ch. 6), that the ark was restored 'before' the advent of Saul. To
seek to impugne the accuracy of the Holy Qur'an on the strength of a hook
thoroughly unreliable as a history, and Full of discrepancies, requires an amount of
audacity not ordinarily given to the mortals.

657. (to his men).

658. (in perseverance and self-control). The weather was violently hot,
and Saul's troops demanded water of him.

659. i, £,, the Jordan. 'The crossing of Jordan, one way or the other, was
always an event in the history of Israel/' (EBr. XIII, 1 1th Ed p. 148).

660. (and is satisfied therewith). $j^ is 'the quantity of water that is taken
[or ladled out] with the hand [as with a ladle] ; as much thereof as fills the hand/
CLL.)

661. (who were content with a handful of water).

662. (and perceived the immense numerical superiority of the enemy).

663. (to one another in anxiety and alarm). 'Saul and his army were
therewith terrified/ ("Ant." 1. 9; 1).

G 64. ( to ai 1 app cara nee).

665. i. e. } Goliath of the Bible, the giant champion of the Philistinian army,
'whose height was six cubits and a span/ (1 Sa. 17 : 4), *A man of vast hulk, for
he was of four cubits and a span in tallness, and had about htm weapons suitable to
the largeness of his body/ ("Ant," VI. 9 : I). 'The name the giant bore indicated
his supernatural insolence, Goliath recalling that he stood with "uncovered
(arrogant) countenance before even God." Goliath challenged the Israelites every
morning and every evening, so as to disturb them at the hour set for reciting the
Shema/ (JE. VI. p. 38).

666. f And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day ; give me
a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words
of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid — , . . , And all the men of
Israel, when they saw the man, Bed from him, and were scare afraid/ (I Sa. 17:
10- 1 1, 24). 'Saul and his army were therewith terrified > while they put themselves
in array as if thev would fight, but did not come to a close battle/ ("Ant/ 3 VI,
0:1),

667. (at the Resurrection), i. e., those of Saul's men who were stronger in
faith, and were therefore not terrified and dismayed.

668. (gifted with faith and perseverance),

669. (as perseverance and faith in God are the main things).

172 Part 1/

250. ( yj^ijJt , . . UJ «) And wben *hey arranged th&msafves against
J Slut and his hosts, they said, 'Our Lord ! pour forth on us steadfastness and sat
firm our feet arid make us triumph over the infidel people',"

251. (jj^jUJl . . * f*),* ifi) Then they 671 vanquished them, by the com*
mand of Allah ;" B and Daud 67:i slew JaluV 74 and Allah gave him kingdom"* and
wisdom 01 * and taught him of what He willed." 7 And had it not been for Allah's
repelling some people 676 by means of others, 63 * the earth was surely to be
corrupted."* But Allah is Gracious to the worlds.™ 1

252. { .jjJUwJt • . . lXD) These are the revelations of Allah : We recite
them to thee, 668 and, surely, CR3 thou art one of the envoys. ca *

670. Observe the beauliful order in the prayer. First, it is the firmness of
heart that is sought, then the firmness of feel, and then, as a natural sequel, triumph
over the adversary. . .

671. i.t,, Saul's men.

672. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ftcd. And
the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines.'
(I Sa, 17:51, 52). 'And upon the fall of Goliath, the Philistines were beaten, and

fled So that there were slain of Philistines thirty thousand, and twice as many

wounded. But Saul returned to their camp, and pulled their fortification to pieces,
and burnt iL' {"Ant." VI, 9:5),

673. r. <?., King David (1013-973 & G.) of the Bible. He was in Saul's
army, and was yet neither prophet nor king.

674. 'And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and

slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead. David ran and stood upon

the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew
him; and cut offhis head therewith/ (1 Sa, 17 : 49-51). The youth met his anta-
gonist, being accompanied with an invisible assistant, who was no other than God
himself/ ("Ant." VI. 9:5). For further details of this encounter sec "Ant," VI. 9.

675. (of Is rael a little la ter) .

676. t. e. t prophethood, which is wisdom in its highest and purest form.
Kingship in Islam is not incompatible with the highest spiritual achievements. It
can co- exist even with prophethood. In fact it is on occasions a special Divine
reward an excellent opportunity to serve one's fellow- creatures.

it, SUrat-ul-Baqarah 1 73

677. (cither of Divine revelations or of worldly crafts).

678. i. #,, of the wicked and the mischievous,
679* i. c, by the righteous and the rightly-guided.

680. {by the preponderance of the evil-doers and mischief-makers).

681. (and so He repels the rebellious and heips the righteous).

682. (correcting the inaccuracies and distortions and rectifying mistakes of
the present Jewish and Christian Scriptures).

683. (O Prophet 1)

684. t. i, $ one of the -ap wiles ; ihe Divine messengers. Note the significance
of the epithet 'sent ones.* Prophets and apostles, in Islam, are always the sent
ones Sfcn t by God to the peoples not themselves god lings or god-incarnations.

174 Part HI

PART 111

253. (liuwj U » . ■ : JWH t_f|? ) These messengers I 1 We have preferred
ionriB of them above others; to some Allah spoke directly**, and some He raised
in rank. a And We gave 'Isa, 4 son of Maryam 5 , evidences 6 , and We aided him
with the hoh/ Spirit 7 . And had Allah so willed, those who came after them 8
would not have fought one against the othei after the clear signs had come to
them' , but they fell into variance, then of them some believed and of them some
disbelieved 1 '. And had Allah 50 willed, they would not have fought one against
the other, but Allah does whatever He intends 12 ,

SECTION 34

254. LjjJtiyJ . . , ^jo-Jtlfoilj) O y° u wn0 believe f spend 13 of what We
have provided you before the Day arrives when there shall be neither trading 1-1 nor
friendship 18 nor intercession.'* And it is the infidels who are the ungodly. 17

1, (just alluded to) »,*., 'the sent ones/

2, (directly; without an an gel as an intermediary). Such as the prophet
Moses.

3, The obvious reference is to the holy Prophet of Islam, the Prophet par
excellence, the most exalted of all the exalted prophets and apostles,

4„ i,e t) the prophet Jesus -

5. i.e., Mary. In view of the Christian blasphemy, the fact of his being (he
son of a mere woman needed a clear pronouncement.

6 . (ofhis a post l*s hip).

7. 'Holy Spirit/ in Islam* is not the 'third Person of Trinity' but the arch-
angel Gabriel, who was in constant attendance upon die prophet Jesus, and protected
him— a mere mortal — from the viles of his enemies. There is no trace, either here
or elsewhere in the Holy Qur J &n, of any specially high rank being bestowed on Jesus
above the prophets. He has simply his own place— -a very honourable one no

ft, Sural- ut-Bvqarah 175

doubt, — in the long list of the messengers of God. For ^ajl _.* see P I. n. 375.

8. i.e. after lhe apostle,

9. {refuting and contradicting each other in matters ol faith).

10. {of Divine truths, through the apostles.)

11. This, in a nutshell, has been the history of the prophets and their peoples.
The moral for the holy Prophel of Islam is to derive comfort by contemplating on
this uniform fact of history, and not to expect wholesale conversion. (Th.)

12. {in accordance with His universal Plan, and without any let or hindrance
from any one). In the Divine plan of creation, belief and unbelief a r« bound, like
light and darkness, to go hand in hand. And God's power of action is not restricted

• or limited by any conditions. His omnipotence, like Hi* omniscience, is absolute.

13. (in the cause of God).

1 4. i.e. , coi n p ensa t tu n or compounding of sin s.

15. (which could profit an infidel).

16. (on which boLh Jews and Christians- the latter even more than the former —
vvere wont to presume), 'We were saved through the merits of one mediator, our
Lord Jesus Christ. . « . Christ is welt qualified to be a mediator, *.*,, om> who brines
estranged parties to amicable agreement. Being Cod and man, He can best restore
friendship between God and the human family/ (CD. p. 617) 'His {Christ's) action,
to some extent His teaching, more expitcity the apostolic teaching (represented by
St. Paul, St* Peter, St. John and Ep to Heb) present Him as the Mediator with God
on behalf of mankind, making intercession iu His prayers on earth and in His heavenly
life after the resurrection, but chiefly giving His life, as a ransom, shedding His blood
for the remission of sin, acting as muans'of propitiation, doing Cod's will. 3 (DB> III.
p* 320). The Jews also believed in the mediation of angels and 'Logos.' And
Philo, while speaking of 'the Word'* on the mediation between God and His creation,
is quoted to have said : "The Father who created the universe has given to His arch-
angelic and most ancient Word a pre-eminent gift to stand on the confines of both ;
while separating the created things from the Creator he pleads before the immortal
God on behalf of the mortal race which sins continually, and is the ambassador sent
by the Ruler to the subject race/ (JE. VIII. p, 409) Islam, as is evident, sweeps
away all such fanciful, and essentially pagan, ideas of mediation, intercession and
propitiation.

1>\ i.e., the wrong their own souls by their infidelity.

17 6 Psr* m

,&&• . ryw

. . . . , ^ , , . . -ft >U t . .t .. «... i

255, L^ferf . , ♦ sX\\) Allah! 1 * there is no God but He/ 8 the Living, 20 the
Sustainer, 21 slumber seizes Hjitj not, nor sleep."- His is whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.'* 3 Who can intercede with Him, save by
His leave? 2 ' 1 He knows whatever was before them 26 and whatever shall be after
them." And they encompass naught of His knowledge, save what He wills."
His Throne-" comprehends the heavens and the earth; and the guarding of both
wearies Him not. 20 and He is the High,* the Supreme. 3 '

256. {^Jic , . . *\yi\ 3) Mo compulsion is there in religion, 112 Surely
rectitude* 3 has become distinct from error. 31 Whoso then denies Devi 1** and be-
lieves, in Allah has of a surety laid hold of 36 the firm cable of which there \% no
breaking; 37 and Allah is Hearing, 38 Knowing. 39

18, The verse known as the Throne Verse has often won the admiration of
non-Muslims, even of a titi -Muslims. \ . . a magnificent description of the divine
majesty and providence; but it must not be supposed the translation comes up to
the dignity of the original. The passage is justly admired by the Mohammedans
who recite it in their prayers ; and some of them wear it about them/ (Sale) 'One
of the most admiral passages in the Koran/ (Lane) 'One of the grandest verses of
the Quran' (Wherry),

19, This is the creed of Islam, negativing all false gods, and affirming the unity
of the one true God, 'There is no God but God — are words simply tantamount in
English to the negation of any deity save one alone ; and this much they certainly
mean in Arabic* but they imply much more also, Their full sense is, not only to
deny absolutely and unreservedly all plurality, whether of nature or of person, in the
Supreme Being, not only to establish the Unity of (he Un beget ting and Un begot, in all
its simple and incommunicable Oneness, but besides this the words, in Arabic and
Among Arabs, imply that this one Supreme Ucingis also the only Agent, the only Force,
the only Act existing throughout the universe, and leave to all beings else, matter
or spirit, instinct or intelligence, physical or moral, nothing but pure, unconditional

//. SUrat-ul-Baqarah 177

passiveness, alike in movement or in quiescence, in action or in capacity/
(W. G. Pajgrave, quoted in ERli. XL p. 757).

■20. i.e., the Ever-living; the Deathless ; the Eternal ; His existence having''
neither beginning nor end. Even a fact so patent as the deathlcssness of God has
needed a clear affirmation in view of the peculiar sacrifice of heathen gods every
spring, as also in view of the 'Christ-God' who suffered death at the hands of his
persecutors. 'The putting: to death of a public man-god was a common incident of
many religions/ (Allen, op. tit. p. 90).

21. He is Almighty and the sole Provider, He sustains the existence of
everything and is Himself sustained or supported by nobody. By the mere mention
of Life and Self- subsistence as His two essential attributes, the possibility of all co-
partnership with Him is negatived outright. Contrast with this the Christian belief
that 'the Father is no more God without the Son than the Son is God without the
Father/ (ERE. VII. p. 536) as also the Hindu belief that certain deities, at any
rate, 'are the offspring of others, and that the gods were originally mortal, who have
only acquired immortality either by the practice of austerities or by drinking Soma
or else by receiving it as a gift from Agni and Savita/ (XII p. 602) Obviously
Islam brushes aside all such absurdities,

22. He is ever wakeful, ever watchful. Many pagan peoples have even ascrib-
ed sleep to (Jod +

23. i.e., He is the absolute master; none is His co-partner; no, not even
comparable to Him,

24. So that there exists none as permanent or independent "Mediator/ This
completely repudiates the 'doctrine of mediation/ which is peculiarly Christian. 'It
is not only that peace with God, or the forgiveness of sins, or reconciliation, or
eternal life for the spiritualty dead is mediated through Christ and His redemption;
Christ is presented also as the mediator of creation. All that is has come into being
through Him/ (ERE. VI II. p. 516) See also n. 16 above,

25. (in point of time), i.e., the past. Or. 'that which is In front of them' in
point of space. The pronoun has for its antecedent 'His creatures' understood.

26. (in point of time) , i.e., the future. Or, 'that which is behind them* in '
point of space. In any case, His knowledge is perfect, complete, all-embracing.
He knows the hidden and the manifest. He knows what is in the present, what has
been in the past, and what shall be in the future,

27* (in accordance with His universal Plan.) So that none of His creatures,
no, not even the angels and prophets, can be His co-equal in respect of His
Knowledge.

28, {of majesty) j$ 'is the place or seat of the king, and of the learned
man ; and hence as used in the Koran it is explained as signifying Dominion, and the
Power of God, whereby He holds the heavens and of the earth; and knowledge/
(LL).

178 Part IN

29- (so thai He needs no rest, and is never tired)* This repudiates the Jewish
and Christian idea of God 'resting' on the seventh day after His great exertion in
creating the universe, 'And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had
made ; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And
God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from
all his work which God created and made/ (Ge. 2: 2, 3).

30. *W.» above al] imperfections and limitations.

31. i,«,, possessor of every form of perfection,

32. {of Islam) J.rf., there is no occasion for employing coercion in the matter
of adopting and embracing Islam as its exellcnce is self-evident. This is the doctrine
of toleration in I he Islam. 'Convictions are not things that can be forced. What-
ever compulsion there is, is not in religion but out of religion. Once "the way is
made distinct from error 1 * and faith and belief have taken a firm grip on the strong
handle of the Truth, that service is due only to the Supreme and the Omnipotent
Creator, Sustained and Developer of all creation : how can mistrust make us waver
and hold us back from His service ?' (MA),

33. i.e.) the right direction; the religion of monotheism.

34. Le. f the wrong way: infidelity and polytheism,

35. (and renounces alt false religions.) i^jit,kJS 'whatever is worshipped
instead, or to the exclusion., of God/ (LL).

36. i.jr.j has indeed tenaciously clung to.

37. (either in this world or the next). True belief in God is our surest
passport of safety both In this world and the next. It we but cling to faith, God's
help will never fail us.

38. *"„£., Hearer of what proceeds from our lips*

39. i.e.f Knower of what we hide in our hearts.

173
//. SUrat'iit-Baqarah _

j£gr__ -ys&

6$&kMu<Mia<si& a (^j£<3gWj5te&

257. f^jiti . . • si'l) Allah ' stJie Patron of those who believe". He
brings them forth from darkness" into light 43 . And as for them who disbelieve,
their patrons are the devils", they bring them forth from light into darkness. Thes«
are inmates of the Fire ; therein they shall abide.

SECTION 35

258. ( 1., it* %; ti\) Lookedest thou 11 not at him 45 who contended
with Ibrahim regarding his Lord 40 , because Allah had given him dominion? 47
When Ibrahim said, 'my Lord is He who gives life and causes death 48 ; he said,
1 give life and I cause death* 9 ' Ibrahim said* , 'surely Allah brings the sun sl from
thecast* 2 , then bring it thou from the west 53 .' Thereupon he who disbelieved was
confounded 64 . And Allah guides not wrongdoers".

40. (as He in fact is the only Pairon or Guardian, besides Whom (here exist
no 'patron-saints/ 'gardian-an gels' or 'saviours/

41. (of infidelity and unbelief),

42. (of faith and belief). Note that )? JJ1, 'the light/ in the Quran is always
in the singular, while its antithesis ua^*XI&>1 'darkness' is always in the plural.
This means that the right way is only one, while the deviations from it are many.

43. ».*., constantly seducing them.

44. {O reader !)

45. The allusion is, according to the Muslim commentators, to Nimrod, the
tyrant of Chaldea and perhaps the first Babylonian hero-god » who persecuted
Abraham, Mis greatness as a king finds mention in the Bible : 'A mighty one in the
earth' (Ge. 10:8), 'a mighty hunter before the Lord' (Ge, 10:9), and 'mighty upon
the earth' (1 Gh. 1 : 10), he ruled over the cities of Babel, Erech, Accad and Gain eh,
in the land of Shinar (Ge. !0:I0) . . . 'he was made king over all the people en
earth, appointing Terah his minister. It was then, elated by so much glory, that
Nimrod changed his behaviour toward Y-1IWH and became the most flagrant

18 Q Part III

idolater/ (JE. IX. p. 309) 'Of all the rulers who made themselves masters of
lower Mesopotamia ... the most famous was S argon . . , and he was identified,
perhaps rightly, with the Nimrod of the Old Testament who rounded Caleh and was
a mighty hunter before the Lord. Later documents were found which established the
fact of his life and power, and now at Ur we have relics which add something to his
history and illustrate the civilisation of his time." (Woolky, Ur of the Chuldees,
p. 107). 'The founder of the Babylonian monarchy. He flourished about 2450 B.C,
establishing a kingdom in the plain of Shinar/ (CE. VI. p. 1609).

46. Abraham's 'contests with Nimrod , . , are not deemed as fantastic as
they would have been half a century ago, when the very existence of Abraham was
generally denied. At the International Congress of Orientalists in Oxford (1928) the
lectures of Prof. Langdon and Mr. Woolley showed that at Abraham's city Ur, in
Abraham's day and earlier, monotheistic speculations conflicted with crass idolatry/
(EBr. XIII. P. 165, Hth Ed,)

47. Sun- worshippers as the Chaldeans were, Nimrod claimed to be a soler
hero, and aspired to the position of a god. To all appearance, this King Nimrod
is not other than the solar god Merodoch. *No (withstanding the difference that
appears to exist between these two names, it is certain that they are very closely
related * . , The question whether Merodoch ever was really king of Babylon need
not detain us here. Suffice it to say that "the king" par excellence was one of his
titles. This he apparently bore as "King of the gods :** but there is no reason to
suppose, on that account, that he was not king of men during his life on earth/'
(DB. Ill, p. 552) 'Nimrod is described ir. Genesis as the first "to be 'a
mighty one in the earth, which Skinner in his commentary paraphrases as originator
of the idea of the military state, based on arbitrary force." Unlike the other names
in the Genesis context, which are names of peoples, Nimrod is that of an individual,*
(EBr. XVI. p. 44, 1 1 til Ed.) See for his 'affront and contempt of God*, "Ant". 1,4 :2.

48. i.e tf all the forces of life and death are in His hands, whereas thou and
thy gods are powerless. According to the Talmud, Abraham exclaimed before the
King:— "Then wherefor serve him ? Why cause thy subjects to follow in thy vain
ways? Rather serve the great Lord of the world who has power to do all the things ;
who has the power to kill, the power to keep alive. Woe to thee, thou man of .
foolish heart J Turn from thy evil ways, serve Him in whose hands is thy life and
the lives of all the people." (Polano. The Talmud Sehctiom , p. 37) t

49. The statement may cither mean : £ I can stay whomsoever I wish and can
let live whomsoever I wish ; J or, *all means of sustenance are in my power and under
my control/ Nimrod evidently missed the point of Abraham's argument altogether.

50. (varying his illustration, to bring home to Nimrod's dull intelligence a
yet clearer instance of his impotence and God's omnipotence).

51. (which is itself a created being, subject to the laws of God, and not a
deity). The Chaldeans believed in the Divinity of the sun.

52. (everyday habitually),

53* (even once). The meaning is: can you even once alter the ordered
course of God's universe?

54, (and worsted in argument] yet he did not submit to Abraham's true
religion),

55. i.e., those who go deliberately wrong,

II. SQrat-ul-Baqarah ' l8 ' 1

,t'M "^"^

tW-«^^SFM^®f

259. ( vj( jj . . „ £..i^!) Or such as he 60 who passed by a town 67 , and it
fay overturned 'on its turrets 6 *. He said, 'how 5 ® shall Aflah quicken it™ after its
death?"' Thereupon Allah made him dead for a hundred years and then raised
him up, and said, 'how long hast thou tarried'?* 2 He sard, 'I have tarried a day or
part of a day'. Allah said, 'nay! thou hast tarried a hundred years; look at thy
food and thy drink; they have not rotten* 3 ; and look at thy ass ea . And this We
have done in order that We may make of thee a sign 65 unto men; and look thou
at the bones 00 , how We shall set them up and clothe them with flesh 67 / Then
when it became clear to him 0H , he said", 'I know 70 that surety Allah is Potent over
everything*.

260. (*,&£&. , t . [Is lij *) Anti «"«*/' when Ibrahim said, 'my Lord!
show me 71 how" Thou wilt quicken the dead 73 .' He said 74 , 'Dost thou not be-
lieve?' He said, 'Yea 7 * but™ that my heart may rest at ease"/ He said, 'take four
birds, and tamo them unto thee™, and then put a part of them 79 on each hill, and
thereafter summon them; they will come to thee speeding 80 . And know then
that surely Allah is Mighty", Wise*V

SECTION 36

261. (j^ic . , , mmjAH J&*)Tfa« likeness of those who spend their riches
In the way of Allah is as the likeness of a grain* 5 That grows seven ears and in
each ear one hundred grains"; and Allah multiplies unto whom He will 8 *. And
Allah is Bountiful 80 , Knowing 87 .

56. »,#,, the prophet Ezra or 'Uzair according to the commentators.

57. The town probably was Jerusalem, as guessed by the commentators,
after its desolation j in 599 B.C. t at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.

58. i.e„ desolate and completely in ruins.. j^^ is, 'the roof of a house,
or the like/ And the phrase means 2 'Having fallen down upon its roofs : meaning
that its walls were standing when their roofs had become demolished and had fallen
to the foundationsj and the walls fell down upon the roofs demolished before them/
(LL)

182 Part fit

59. i.e., in what way. The person is a believer in Resurrection. He has no
intention to question the fact of it. Merely overpowered with awe and astonishment
at a particularly desolutc sight, he asks himself, how could a town so utterly ruined
be brought back to life ? To instil in him a yet greater assurance and to provide for
hiro*fln ocular demonstration of His working, God wrought the miracle detailed in
the text,

60. (town and its dwellers).

61. (on the Day of Resurrection).

62. (in this state of lifelessness) .

63. (in spite of the lapse of years, and in this way We keep preserved and
intact whatever We will).

64. (dead and turned to dust except for its bones).

65. (of Our Omnipotence, iU, an instance of Our infinite and unbounded

power.

66. (of thy ass).

67. (and reinspire the beast with life)*

68. (as a matter of personal experience).

69. (in an outburst of fresh conviction and a faith strengthened a thousand
times by immediate personal experience),

70. (in the very depths of my heart).

71. (by some practical instance).

72. *.*., in what particular way out of several conceivable ways. (Th)

73. (on the Day of Resurrection),

74. *to enable Abraham to demonstrate to the world his staunch and
unflinching faith in Him and His ways/ (Th)

75. i.e., certainly I do believe, and have full faith,

76. (I ask this).

77. (by having an ocular demonstration of God's OWN tvay of reviving the
dead and in order to perfect my faith yet more), The prophet Abraham who
uttered these words, after having requested God to show him the raising of the dead
to life, was not lacking in faith ; but he knew that, if he were to witness resurrection
with his own eyes, all possible doubts would be dispelled for ever. He believed that
God had this power ; the mental acknowledgement (tasdlq) was already there. But
his faith would become more intense if he were allowed to obtain full certainty by
witnessing it with his bodily eyes {'&in-ul-yaqln)J (ASB. I. p. 38).

78. (by taming them and keeping them as thy pets).

79. i.e., of each one of the four birds after cutting them to pieces and
mingling their flesh and feathers together. The word ^ in correct Arabic does
not imply an individual or one whole thing. It is only *A part, or portion ; . . . a
constituent part of a thing : ... an ingredient of any compound or mixture/ (LL)
>4 JUS ^ U^ 1 1y* (IQ)

//, SQrat-ul-Baqhah 183

80. !,*♦, one part of each animal shall fly to the other, tilt all of ihem recover
their original Form and figure,

81. i.e., Ahlc to do anything and everything,

82. !.**» Doer only of what is in accordance with His universal Plan and
infinite Wisdom,

83. (of corn).

84. Thus God rewards them seven hundred times.

85. (commensurate with the degree of the donor's disinterestedness and (rue
piety).

86. {so that His bounty shall not fail any one deserving of it).

87. (so that He is well aware of the purity of motives, or its reverse, in every
ease).

184 Part Hi

262. ( .ojJ^saj I . . ^iJl ) Those who spend their riches in the way of
Allah and do not follow up what they have spent* by taunt 88 or injury 88 , therein is
their wage with Allah, on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve* .

263. (*jJl£i. . . . Jj) An honourable word 81 and forgiveness 92 are better"
than an alms followed by injury; and Allah is Self-sufficing 04 , Forbearing"*.

264. f jjjucJI . . . ,-jjiiJ^j tj) you who believe! void not your charities
by taunt and by harm* 6 , like unto him who spends his riches to be seen of men* 7 ,
and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day 08 . The likeness of him is as the
likeness of a smooth rock on which is dust; a torrent falls on it and leaves it bare 8 *.
They 100 shall not have power over aught they have earned 101 . And Allah guides
not an infidel people.

88. i.e., words of taunt or reproach addressed to the person whom they have
relieved.

89. i.e., deeds of violence. Charity, to be charity, must always be clean,
pure, and disinterested,

90. (on the Day of Judgment) .

91. (of refusal).

92. (granted to the beggar if he is wantonly insolent).

93. (a thousand times). The whole phrase means : 'Refusal with pleasing or
gracious speech and prayer expressed to the beggar that God may sustain him, and
forgiveness granted to the beggar for hts importunity ♦ . . are better than an alms
with annoyance followed by reproach for a benefit conferred and for begging.
(IX)

94. i.e.) Independent of all wants. So he who spends benevolently does so for
his own benefit, and not to do Him any good.

95. (so He does not punish the violators of these rules of conduct immediately),

96. Very noticeable is the emphasis which the Holy Qur'an lays on the
standard of charity being kept high. The kindly feeling of the giver is far more
valuable than the gift itself.

//. Surat-ul-Baq&tih 185

97. Cf, the NT. 'Take heed that ye do not your alms before mwi, to be
seen of them : otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is tn heaven/
(Ml 6:1)

98. i.e., who is an infidel and wastes his charity at together. Note the difference
between the two cases. The man of faith who follows his act of charity by words of
reproach or deeds of violence deprives himself of its manifold reward ; the unbeliever
makes his charity void altogether and shall get no spiritual benefit out of it at alt.

(Th)

99. (as before). So will these men without faith find themselves bare of all
reward on the Day of Judgment.

100, ("-ft, those who Eire Without faith ; the infidels.

101. i.e., of their works.

188 Part M

6£&

265. ( ?i ^,j . . . j^j&JI JJU J And the parable of them who spend Their
riches seeking the pleasure of Allah 102 and for the strengthening of their souls 103 is
as the parable of n garden on height ; a torent falls on ft, and it yields its fruits
twofold; and if no torrent fails on it r then evert a gentle rain 104 . And Allah is
Beholder of whatever you do 106 .

266. (^j&sj, ..ui.ji) Would any of you have for himself a garden of date-
palms ,tlw and grape-vines 106 -* beneath which rivers flow and all sorts of fruit there-
in are for him, then old age should befall him while he has a progeny of weaklings,
and that thereafter a whirlwind wherein is fire should smite it, 10 * so that all is
consumed 107 ? Thus dose Allah expound to you His signs that haply you may
ponder.

SECTION 37

267. (.xj^e*. , . , .^dJII^Lj) O you who believe! spend 108 out of the good
things you have earned 106 , and of what We have produced for you from the earth;
and seek not the vile of it to spend, whereas you your$Gfve$ would not accept
such except that you connived at it. And know that Allah is Self-sufficing 111 *,

Praiseworthy 111 .

102. Tliis seeking of the goodwill of the Lord is the only real motive force with
all fcru.fi believers in every action of theirs,

103. Since every fresh act of self-sacrifice makes their love of good still deeper
and stronger,

104. (Sufficclh it because of the excellence of the soil).

105. (and of the purity of your motives),

105-A, The tree par excellence of Arabia. 'Among the Arabian flora the date-palm
tree is queen. It bears the most common and esteemed fruit: the fruit {iamr) par excel-
knee. Together with milk it provides the chief item on the menu of Bedouin, and,
except for camel flesh, is his only solid food.' (Hitti, History of the Arabs p. 19). Th
first care of the oasis-dweller Arabs is the date-palm, 'It is the main source of thei

e
eu

//. SOrat~ut-Baqarah 187

wealth, the riches of a garden -owner being proportionate to the number of the date-
trees he owns . r . By virtue of its manifold utility, the date-palm occupies the same
important position in the practical life and general economy of the oasis -dwellers as
does the camel in that of the pastoral nomads. Its fruit is the staple article of food
among the settlers, and forms a substantial partofatl their meals — breakfast, midday
meal and supper*— in the case of rich and poor alike/ (tnayatullah, Geographical
Factors in Arabian Life and History, p. 81).

105-B. A plant well known in certain parts of Arabia. 'Among the domestic
plants, the grape-vine, introduced from Syria after the fourth Christian century,
is welt represented in Al-TaVif, and yields the alcoholic beverage styled nabldk at-
zaelb.' (Hittij op. cit. 19).

106, i,e<, the garden*

107, Such is the alms given by the infidels which shall perish, and will be of
no service the giver of it in the Hereafter*

108, (in alms).

109, (in a lawful, honourable way).

1 10, (so He is in no need of your presents which even you deem worthless).

111, (and absolutely Perfect in His Person and Attributes; so strive for
perfection in all that you offer in His namp).

88 Part HI

■■*j3yr „. r^ifc .

268. (pxlji . . ♦ t -M±*& } Satan threatens you with poverty 112 , and com-
mands you to ungodliness, whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Him-
self 113 and abundance 111 ; and Allah is Bountiful 115 , Knowing 116 .

269. ftjt^J , ,, k j,j) He grants wisdom 117 to whom He will, and he
who is granted wisdom is indeed granted abundant good, 316 and none receives
admonition 118 save men of understanding,

270. (-Usi] F • ♦L-») And whatever you spend or whatever you vow, 1 so
surely Allah knows them 1 ", and for the ungodly 15 - there will be no helpers,

271. (j^ja, . . . I«3ufcj ..') If you publish the alms 123 , even so it is well,
and if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it will be better for you 121 ,
and He will expiate some of your misdeeds 126 . Allah is Aware of what you
do 1 ".

272. LmJJo.1 . , * u^tJ) Not or> thee 127 is their 12 * guidance, but Allah
guides whom He will 129 . And whatsoever of good you spend it is for your own
souls; and you spend not save to seek Allah's countenance 130 , and whatever of
good you spend shall be repaid to you 131 , and you shall not be wronged.

112. The devil instils the Fear in yoitr mind that you shall be reduced lo
poverty by your contributing liberally to the works of charity and public good*

113. (in the Hereafter, in return for that you expend cheerfully in His
service).

114 4 'to some even in this world, and to all in the Hereafter.* (Th),

115. i.e., Able to repay all and sundry.

1 16. i.e, f Aware of the inner feelings and motives.

1 17. i.e., the understanding of the Divine (ruths.

118. Since no worldly gift can equal the great blessing of comprehending the
Divine truths,

1 19. (thereby) I,*, none takes the lessons conveyed by the Divine Book to
heart.

//. SVrat-uf-Baqarah 189

120. (to spent!, or to offer in bodily devotions).

121. (and shall reward each and all accordingly).

122. i.e., those who do not observe the bounds of Allah.

123. (on occasions when publicity 5s needed or desirable in public interest).

124. The general rule is to conceal the acts of charity: manifesting them is
allowed only on proper occasions. When, for instance, a man is dying of hunger at
a public place, and is in dire need of instantaneous relief, to refuse to feed him
because the place is ait open one, would be sheer folly and an act morally criminal,

125. (thereby: for those acts of charity). Incidentally this repudiates the
Christian doctrine that there is no remission without shedding of blood,

126. (so He looks above all to your inner motives).

127. (O Prophet.!).

128. fa,* the 'infidels.'

129. (in accordance with His universal Plan). So relief may unhesitatingly be
given to any one in distress whether believing or disbelieving. Nobody is to be
denied help on the score of his unbelief Some Muslims in the Prophet's time
hesitated to support the infidel paupers. The verse removed their doubts.

130. (and this can be obtained by relieving any one in distress, apart from his
views and beliefs).

131. (in full).

190 Part Ih

273. (*tU* i . !j£UJ) Charities arc 1 ** for the poor who are sustained in
the way of Allah 1 **, disabled from going about in the land m , The unknowing
takes them for the affluent because of their modesty 185 , thou Jse wouldst recognize
them by their mark, they beg not of men because of their modesty. And what-
ever of good 1 * 7 you will spend, surely Allah h the Knower thereof.

SECTION 38

274. ( ,j ^j , , , .^j L Ul ) Those who spend their riches night and day 138 ,
secretly and openly 1 * 1 ", their wage shall be therein with their Lord; no fear shsll
come on them, nor shall they grieve 110 .

132- (meant primarily and in the first place}. Far others also they are
lawful.

133. %jt, t in the service of the religion.

134. (to earn their livelihood).

135. {and abstention from begging).

136. (O reader !),

137. (to relieve such people),

138. i,*.j at all hours.

139. (whatever may suit the occasion).

140. (in the Hereafter).

//. Sdrat-ul-Baqarah 191

* ^ |j gJu #rjyj&3 ^ JI^OW^ ^.

2 75 < {^jj.KA * • • ^jjJI) Those who devour usury" J t shalF not bo able to
stand 14 - except as stands he whom Satan has confounded with his touch 14 *. This
1$ because they say: 'trade is but as usury' 14 *: whereas Allah has allowed trade 1 "
and has forbidden usury 34 *. So he who receives an admonition from his Lord,
and has desisted 1 " 7 , may keep 148 what is past'"*, and his affair 140 is with Allah 141
but he who reverts 162 — such shall be the inmates of the Fire, therein they 1 * 3 shall
abide,

276, (^ , i , atfjyacwj Allah obliterates usury **" A , and augments
charity 1 ", And Allah loves not any ingrate 155 sinner 109 ,

277, (^j^-ftj ,,» ^jjJl ^) Surely those who beJieve and work right-
eously and establish prayer and pay the poor-rate, their wage shall be then with
their Lord; and no foor shall come on them nor shall they grieve 147 .

278, t^iMy* • * * ti^ 1 Ud^r) ° VOLJ wh0 believe! fear Allah and waive
what has yet remained of the usury due to you 1 **, if you are believers* 69 .

279, (fcJJ*-^ • * * H c ,IJ ) But ^ y0lJ do not ' then beware °' war frorri

Allah and His messenger 180 . And if you repent 1 * 1 , yours shall be your principal

sums; neither wrong others 1 ** nor be wronged yourselves 1 * 3 <

280, (up*-**' • • • d )) Ancl '' 0f i* m should be in difficulties, then let
there be a respite till easiness" 4 . But if you waive 1 ** the sum, it will be better for
you, if you but know 1 * 7 .

141, The Arabic word j^ is but partially covered by the English word
'usury' which, in modern parlance, signifies only an 'exorbitant' or extortionate
interest.' The Arabic \*j\» on the other hand, means any addition, however slight,
over and above the principal sum lent, and thus includes both 'usury* and 'interest/
In the language of modern socialism, interest is an unjustifiable tax on the labouring
classes, the unpaid wage of the labourer. According to the socialist writers of to-day,
money is lent by them who have abundance and returns, to them to increase that
abundance, the increase being the unpaid dues of labour, which is the only source
of wealth — the rich are thus made richer and the poor poorer, by every fresh act of

192 PM M

taking interest, and the stability of social organism is disturbed

142. (upon rising from their graves on the Day of Resurrection).

143. i.€,, like possessed persons, distracted and horror-stricken, wiih their
bodies in violent convulsions,

144. U., trading also has gain and profit as its object, and it is admittedly

lawful; then why not usury?

145. Thus there is a work! of difference between the two. The Author of all
laws, physical as well as moral, has allowed the one and disallowed the other. What
greater difference could (here conceivably be between any two tilings in the world ?
The one was comparable to light ; the other to darkness. Money-lending, it has truly
been remarked, is neither a profession nor a trade. It is not a profession since it
calls for no special education or technical knowledge. It is not a trade since there
is no sale of any kind in it. It is an occupation, and one of the dirtiest since it takes
mean advantage of human distress and thrives on it. Those who arc engaged in this
business, are as a rule callously mean, who find that the easiest way of increasing their
riches, is by taking advantage of men in distress who may safely be dominated and
bullied. See appendix at the end of the surah.

146. The devastating propensities of usury arc visible to every eye. The evils
attendant on it arc neither few nor far between — the col lousness it engenders, the
profligacy it lets loose, the greed it encourages, the jealousy it breeds, the misery
it entails, the abjectuess it inculcates, an so on. Yet it is Islam alone that has the
unique distinction of declaring this pernicious practice illegal absolutely and
unconditionally. Greece and Rome both groaned heavily under its yoke, but none
of their legislators, like the economists of modern Europe, thought of banning it
altogether. In Greece, c lho bulk of the population . . , became gradually indebted
to the rich to such an extent that they were practically slaves/ And 'usury had
given all the power of the state to a small plutocracy/ (EBr. XXVII. p. 812,,
1 1th Ed.) The Romans fared still worse. *The attempt to regulate the rate of
interest utterly failed. In the course of two or three centuries the small free
farmers were utterly destroyed. By the pressure of war and taxes they were all
driven into debt, and debt ended practically, if not technically, in slavery/ (jfr.)
With all these honors, experienced and patiently borne, nobody ventured to
eradicated the evil root and branch. The utmost that a Solon among the ancients
or a Bacon among the moderns could advise was to 'grind the tooth of usury, that
it bite not too much, that is to say, to regulate its rate, without attaching the
slightest moral taint to the usurer. The Bible went no doubt many steps further
inasmuch as it forbade the advance of usurious loans to the Israeli ties.
(Ex. 22 ; 25 5 Dt. 23 ; 19), But even the Biblical prohibition did not include usurious
loans to non-Israclities, It is the Holy Qui 'an which, to its everlasting glory, has
forbidden usury in alt its forms categorically.

147. (from usurious dealings and from thinking them legal),

//. $Qrat-ul~8aqi#ah 193

148. (the pi out of).

149. i.e., the nil crest already received prior to the prohibit* lion : and he shall
not be called upon n> repay what he has already taken. So far with the legal aspect
of the question.

J 50, (of co nsci en ce) .

151. (who alone knows whether one's penitence is genuine or faked). The
legal, the outward, the public aspect being definitely settled, the moral, the inner,
the private *afl*afo* of each individual rests with God.

152. (to usury),

153. i.e.) those who consider these dealings still legal.

153-A. The groat Prophet Muhammad — peace be unto him— with inspired
insight saw the harm and misery caused by the wretched tribe of money-lenders and
enjoined the faithful not to lend money on interest. Certainly one of the wisest of
economic laws, Economists have noted the fact that in countries where high rates
of interests are permitted industry and commerce do not flourish. This fact is best
exemplified in the U.S.A. where the laws of usury are not uniform throughout the
States. In different States the legal rates of interest vary all the way from 3 per cent
to 9 per cent per annum and it is noticeable that in the States where the rate of
interest is low, commerce and industry flourish and the people are more prosperous ;
while in the other States, especially in those where 7 per cent and more are allowed,
it is not so.

154. (invariably in the Hereafter ; and sometimes also in this world).

155. i.e., he who still holds usury legal.

156. mi., he who still has usurious dealings.

157. (in the Hereafter),

158. (when the prohibition was made known).

159. (for belief implies obedience to the Divine Law).

160. i.e., war will be declared upon you by the Prophet and the Muslims- Cf.
the teaching of the OT :— "(He) hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase j
shall he then live? He shall not live : , , ■. he shall surely die j his blood shall be upon
him.' (Ezk, 18: 13,) On this passage of the OT, the comment of the Talmud is,
"The money-lender is compared to a murderer." *The Mishnah includes the usurer
among those who are disqualified from giving evidence in a court of law/
(ERE, XII, p. 558). And among the Jews of the 20th century 'the trade of usury is
looked upon with shame, and the usurer is stigmatised as a reproach to his people.'
(**.) 'The Book of Islam contains so many other prohibitory injunctions, but words
so strong as the above have not been used in any other injunction. The Prophet
too made great efforts to eradicate this evil of ribz. The treaty made with th*
Christians of Najran contained a definite clause which laid down that if they would
indulge in transaction involving rib a the treaty would become automatically null and
void* (AAM),

194

Part ///

161. (from usurious transactions, and mend your ways), 'The Banu Mughlra

were famous money-lenders of Arabia. After the conquest of Makka the Prophet

wrote to his 'Umit to declare all the sums due to them on account of ribn as unlawful

and to wage war against them if they persisted in their demands for the same. Qn

the day of the last Haj performed by him, the Prophet declared that all sums due on

account of rite since the days of Jskiliya were cancelled and that he himself set an

examplo by declaring the similar dues of his uncle 'Abbas as cancelled. He went to

the length of saying that all the parties to a transaction involving riba— even the

transcriber and the witnesses— deserved the curse of Allah ! All these injunctions do

not imply that the form or interest known as usury alone was to be abolished and

other forms to be maintained. They really aimed at eradicating the mentality, the

ethical standards, the culture and the economic organization of the capitalistic

system and to establish a new system in winch niggardliness should give place to

charity, selfishness to sympathy and co-operation, riba to zakiit, banking to bait-til-m&l

and thus to obviate the circumstances which may give rise to co-operative societies,

insurance companies and provident funds/ (A AM).

162, {others, by demanding from them more than the amount lent). This,
when a Muslim lends,

163, (yourselves, by having to pay more than the sum borrowed), This, when
a Muslim borrows,

164, ie, t the debtor.

165, i,e. t until he is in easy circumstances. *The regulation does great credit to
Muhammad, and is yet carried out in practice by many of his followers/
(Wherry).

166, (your loan altogether as alms), A practical lesson in humanity and

human sympathy,

167, (the reward you will merit thereby), 'That the Prophet did much to put
down injustice and oppression, no one can deny ; and in his enactments concerning
the treatment of debtors we have another proof to this/ (Roberts, Social Laws of the
Qpran, p, 101), 'The law of the Qpran as well as the enactments of the Muhammedan
doctors, when compared with those of the Old Testament and of Hammurabi are
lenient and just. And especially so when we further compare them with the Roman
law of debt, according to which a debtor might even be put to death, and where the
cruel exactions of creditors several times led to serious disturbances/ (ib, p, 103),

II. SUrat-ut-Baqarah 195

'&&&.

m *K3« j^&&^^z&iwuMi^&tii&

# ^

281. (^,*JL^j . . . &] ,) Ar| d fear the Day when you shall be brought
back to Allah, then each soul shall be repaid in full what he has earned and
they 10 * shall not be wronged.

168. Such nbrupt change of number, from singular to plural, is not
uncommon in Arabic,

1^6 Part tU

SECTION 39

282, (^jfj t t . yufiJltfi^f) O you who believe f when you borrow one
from another for a time stated, write it down"*, and let a scribe write it down
justly between you, and let not the scribe refuse to write according as Allah has
taught him. So let him write then, and let the debtor dictate, and let him fear
Allah, his Lord, and diminish not aught of it 1 **. But if he who oweth is witless 171
or infirm* 7 - or unable to dictate 1 ' 5 , then let his guardian 1 '"' dictate justly. And
call to witness two witnesses of your men 17 *, and if the two be not men, then a
man and two women 1741 of those you agree upon as witnesses, so that if one of
the twain errs 1 ' 7 , then the other will remind her 17 *. And let not the witnesses
refuse when they are called on. And be not loth to write it 1? » down, be it small
or big, with its term: this is most equitable in the sight of Allah and most upright
for testimony, and likelier that you will not be in doubt unless it be a transaction
concluded on the spot between you lflQ ; for then there shall be no bfame on you
if you do not write it down. And call witnesses when you are transacting business
with one another; and Jet not the scribe come to harm nor the witness" 1 ; and if
you do" a , surely it shall be ungodliness in you 1 " 3 . Fear Allah: and Allah teaches
you'* 11 ; and Allah is the Knower of everything 186 .

283. \ft£a « . . *£A* ^S j) And if you be journeying and you do not find
a scribe, then lot there be a pledge taken; then, if one of you entrusts the other 1 ",
let the one who is entrusted 487 discharge his trust' 86 , and let him fear Allah, his
Lord, And do not withhold the testimony 189 ; and whatsoever wiihholdeth it, his
heart surely Is sinful. And Allah is the Knower of what you do 1 **.

169. (in a document).

170. m, of what he owes.

171. x.Afk^ may also signify, ignorant of the ordinances, or statutes; one who
does not dictate well and does not know what dictation is.' (LL).

?. *.*., either of an immature age or senile.

//, Stirat-utBaqarah 19?

173. m?,, dumb, for instance, or a foreigner, ignorant of the language of the
land.

174. i.e., whoever manages his affairs, whether his father, heir or someone
else.

175. i.e., from among the Muslims, They must be adults, of unimpaired
reason, free men (not slaves), and of good character. Disputes are to be decided on
the testimony of these witnesses, and not on the strength of the written documents,
the role of which is only secondary or subsidiary.

176. In the Jewish code the testimony of a woman is inadmissible. 'The
witnesses must he men, not women or minors' (ET. p, 326). 'Let not the testimony of
women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness of their sex' ("Ant". IV,
8 :15). 'The witness must be a man, not a woman* (JE. V. p. 277).

177. (in her memory).

178. Compare the findings of modern science in regard to the status of female
testimony: — 'In women deception is almost physiological . . . The same fact is more
coarsely and ungraciously stated in the proverbs of many nations, and in some
countries it has led to the legal testimony of women being placed on a lower footing
than that of men/ (Have lock Ellis, Man and Woman, p. 196) Lombrosoand Ferrero
actually regard deception as being * physiological* in woman , , , The evidence of
profound psychologists, the substance of myths, the content of national proverbs, the
personal experience, in short, of all those who have learnt to know woman generation
after generation, all point to this conclusion, ihat there is a certain duplicity and
unscrupulousness in their nature.' {Ludovici, Woman, r>, 281-82) 'The fact that women
are difficult to deal with under cross-examination is well known among lawyers, and
their skill in drawing red-herrings across the path of any enquiry directed against them-
selves, makes them stubborn and evasive witnesses at all times when they have anything

to conceal/ (t£, p. 320). *Wc are again and again forced to admit that a woman is not
in a position to judge objectively, without being influenced by her emotions,'"
(Bauer, op, tit. I p, 289). And compare also an observation of Schopenhauer : 'In
a court of justice women arc more often found guilty of perjury than men. It is
indeed to be generally questioned whether they should be allowed to take an oath at
all/ On the suggestibility of women see also Sidis* Psychology of Suggestion, pp.
362-363.

179. i.e., the transaction.

180. i.e., hand-to-hand; not on credit, $Aj,\ is, 'The giving and taking, from
hand to hand without delay/ And the phrase in the text means, 'Ready merchandise,
which ye give and take among yourselves, from hand to hand, without delay i.e. not
on credit/ (LL).

181. (nor are they to be unnecessarily inconvenienced in any way).

182. (such harm).

183. i.e. it will be counted in you as a crime.

l9f * Pan III

184, (all lb at is to your good). Commercial moral iiy is here taught on the
highest plane and yet in the most practical manner, both as regards the bargains to
be made, the evidence to be provided, the doubts to be avoided, and the duties and

rights of scribes and witnesses. Probity even in worldly matters is to be not a mere

matter of convenience or policy but a matter of conscience and religious duty.

Even our every- day transactions are to be carried out as in the presence of God/

(AY A).

185. (so He knows the obedient from the rebellious, and will requite each
accordingly).

186, (and deposits a thing with another on trust).

187. (and who has now become a trustee or depositary in the legal sense).

188, This forbids all embezzlement and breach of trust,

189, (either by suppressing it altogether or by twisting or distorting, as both
have the effect of concealing the truth). The injunction is of general application*
and extends to all juristic acts, such as marriage, dower, divorce* mortgage, Will,
inheritance and the like.

190. (so no sinner can ever elude Him.)

//. SOrat-uf Baqarah 199

SECTION 40
284- (yj&s f . . U *JU) Allah's is whatever is in the heavens and what-
ever is in the earth, and whether you reveal what is in your mind" 1 or hide it,
Allah will reckon with you therefor 1 ", then He will forgive whom He will 1 * 3 and
torment whom He will"', and Allah is potent over everything 105 ,

285, (jj^iU^Jl . . . J^M^f ) The mMM W believes in what is sent
down to him from his Lord 1 **, and so do the believers. They all believe in Allah 1 **
and His angels 185 and His Books 1 " and His messengers 800 , saying 'we dis-
criminate not against any of His messengers'** 1 . And they say, 'we hear and
obey; Thy forgiveness, our Lord! and to Thee is our return'.

286. ( .J JUJt ♦ . . JKjJ) Allah charges not a soul excepting according
to its capacity. For it shall be the*good it earns 10 *, and against it the evil it
earns* 08 : Our Lordl reckon with us not if we forget or err. Our Lord! burden us
not like unto those Thou burdenedest before us* *. Our Lordl impose not on us
that for which we have not strength. And pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy
on us. Thou art our Master, so make us triumph over the disbelieving people"*.

191. (of d eliberate evil intentions) ,

192. It is only deliberate and voluntary evil intentions, as distinguished from
mere fleeting and involuntary evil thoughts that are punishable,

193. (in the exercise of His prerogative of Mercy).

194. (in order to meet the ends of justice and retribution),

195. (and therefore He acts in every case, without the intervention of any
possible 'Saviour').

196. The first to believe in the Message is the apostle himself,

197. i.s. t in His Existence, His Solencss, His Unity, and in the perfection of
His Attributes,

198. (Who are not sub-deities or godlings).

200 Part ill

199. {which are not human compilations- --fruits of human ingenuity),

200. (who are not God's 'Sons* or * Incarnations 'J.

201. (so far as the fact of apostlcship is concerned by accepting some and
rejecting the others unlike the Jews who receive Moses and reject Jesus, also unlike
the Christians, who receive the prophets of Israel but reject the holy Prophet of
Islam).

202. (by choice), So no one shall be held answerable for such thoughts and
feelings as intrude themselves on one's mind. All non- deli berate, non-voluntary states
of mind are excluded from accountability. Each one is responsible for what he
acquires, earns,

203. (by choice). So every one must win his own redemption. In Islam there
is neither an ^original sin' nor 'universal redemption*. Every individual must
work out the propensities of his soul — his own possibilities of spiritual success or
failure.

204. (and the Jews in particular). Of. the NT; — 'Why tempt ye God, to
put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able
to bear?* (Ac 15:10).

205. {who are Thy enemies). j^ \.}y*a'A is not 'help us against- *, as

generally mistranslated, but 'grant us victory or conquest over *.

APPENDIX

(See verse 275, Chapter II)
By Maukna ARUL A'ALA MAUDOODI

Editor : Tarjumdn-ul-Qur'Hn, Lofton

Bai" is a transaction in which the seller offers a commodity for sale to the
buyer for some consideration as price by paying which the buyer takes possession of
that commodity. The sailer may have himself produced or manufactured the
commodity or bought it of another person. In cither case he charges an additional
sum over and above the principal that he invested in producing or procuring the
thing as compensation for his own labour which forms his profit.

Now let us see what is rib a, A man lends his capital to another on the
condition that alter a certain time he would charge a fixed amount of money in
addition to his capital. This additional amount, which is interest or tiba, is a
consideration not of any labour or commodity but of the time for which the
principal has been borrowed. Even in bat' if the payment of the price of a
commodity is deferred on the condition that in the case of non-payment on the fixed
date the price will be increased., this will mean interest or rib&.

Riba, in essence, is thus an amount charged on the principal as a considera-
tion for the time during which the principal is to be used, and it consists of three
elements, viz*, addition to the principal, the rate of that addition according to time,
and the payment of the additional amount being a condition of the bargain. All
transactions involving these three elements come under the category of tiba*

Between the buyer and seller there is an equal exchange of profit, for the
buyer utilises the commodity purchased and the seller gains the profit of his labour,
time and intellect used by him in the production of the commodity. In contrast to
this in the transactions involving ribn, the exchange of profits is not equitable and
reciprocal. The creditor receives a fixed amount of money which is a sure profit to
him, but the debtor has only the consideration of time which is not a sure source of
profit. If he has borrowed money for his personal use the time element is of no use
to him. If he has borrowed it for the purpose of trade, agriculture or industry, the
time element is equally likely to cause harm or give benefit. The creditor is entitled
to the fixed profit whether the debtor gains or loses. The transaction thus
involves one party in loss and is a source of gain to the other or while it is a source
of sure and definite gain to one it is a source of uncertain and indefinite gain to
another*

There is another very important difference between bat* and riba. While in
a commercial transaction the seller may gain the .maximum amount of profit which

202 ■

lias to be paid by the buyer only once, in a transaction involving riba the creditor
receives profit over his capital continuously, the amount of the profit increasing as
the time passes. The profit of the debtor gained out of the capital borrowed will be
definite, the profit of the creditor will be indefinite and may engulf within its
octopus-like grip all that the debtor possesses besides the capital borrowed by him-
The third important difference between bai* and riba is that while in bai' the

transaction is complete with the exchange of commodity and price, and the buyer
has not to return anything to the seller which is likely to he consumed (in the case
of the renting of a house or land the same is not to be consumed in any way and is
returned intact), in the transaction involving riba, the debtor, after having utilised
or consumed the capital, has to produce it anew for repayment to the creditor along
with an additional amount of interest.

Again, while in commercial, industrial or agricultural transactions a man
reaps the profit of his labour and intellect; in the transactions involving rib& he has
a lion's share in the income of his debtor by lending him his surplus capital. He is
not a proportionate partner both in gain and loss, but he is a partner entitled to
profit irrespective of the fact whether the debtor is benefiting by the transaction or
not, and in the case of gain, without any reference to the extent of that gain.

Such are the reasons on account of which God has allowed bai' and
disallowed rtbd. There arc ethical reasons too, besides these. Riba" inculcates
niggardliness, selfishness, cruelty, worship of wealth and other similar vices. It
destroys the spirit of sympathy and mutual help and co-operation. It exhorts
people to accumulate wealth and to spend it in their personal interests only. It
checks the free circulation of wealth in the community. It creates a channel
through which wealth flows from the poor to the rich. Owing to it the wealth of
the community accumulates in the coffers of a selected few which ultimately involves
the whole community in economic ruin.

As is well known to the expert in the principles of economic science, all the
above effects of ribs are natural. Nor can anyone deny that the ethical, social and
economic system that Islam propounds has no place in itself for ribs which is in
conflict with jvery detail of that system. Even the remotest and the most innocent
form of ribs is derogatory to the fair face of that system. That is why the Book of
Islam so forcefully declares:

O you who believe I fear Allah, and give up what remains of (your
demand for) usury, if you are indeed believers. If you do it not,
then take notice of "war" from Allah and His Prophet, And if you
repent (for your past wrongs), you shall have your capital back.
Deal not unjustly (to your fellow-men) and you shall not be dealt
with unjustly*

(II t 278-9)

///. Surat-ul-'imran 203

..njfojf _ - - .._ rP 1 ^.

*
o

Ssra/-u/-7mn5n™

Family of "Tmran. Ill

(Madinian, 20-Sections and 199 Verses)

In the name of Aliah r the Com passionate, the Merciful.

SECTION I

1. (js) AM- Lam— Mim 2 * 7 .

2. [tfSfi . . . fi JUt) Allah I there is no God but He 8M , the Living 2 **, the
Sustainer 210

3. ( Us»9< . . . k») Ne has revealed 111 the book to thee with truth 212 ,
confirming what went before it 213 , and He sent down the Taw rat 21 ' and ln]Tl Mi .

4- (jJiSJ\ * * . ,**) Aforetime, for a guidance to the people 21 * and sent
down the Criterion 317 . Surely those who deny the signs of Allah 218 , for them
Shaft be a terrible torment, and Allah is Mighty 31 ", Lord of Retribution****

5- ('LuuJl . . * &J.JI j) Surely Allah I naught is hidden from Him 221 in
the earth or in the heave n ss *.

6. L^n . ♦ . ,0-V) He it is who"* fashions you* ai in the wombs 2 "
as He wi!F B ; there is no^God but He***, the Mighty 118 , the Wise* 29 1

206. In the tenth year of Hijrah, a deputation of fourteen leading men
from the Christian colony of Najran, in the south of Arabia, waited upon the
Prophet in Madina. He had an argument with them on the Divinity of Jesus, and
they were completely confounded. Early sections of this surah have frequent
allusions to the fatuity of the Christian doctrine.

207. Sec P. 1. n. 28.

208. Note that the Qur'an does not say that Allah is the greatest among

204 _ Pan til

gods, the chief god. It affirms that no other gods exist at ail. The gods so-called
are nothings, non-entities, figments of imagination. See also n. 19 above.

209. i, e., the Deathless ; the Ever-living. See n. 20 above.

210. i. c, One who is Self-subsisting and by whom all things subsist. See
n. 21 above,

211. Jp as distinguished from j\^\ h not mere 'sent down/ but sent
down text after text by means of exact verbal revelation ; and this literal Inspiration
is a distinguishing feature of the Qur'an.

212. (and propriety, O Prophet!) L «., with perfect arguments- and clear
proofs ; and at proper time, and at proper place. The primary significance of ^
is 'Suitableness to the requirements of wisdom, justice, right, or Tightness, truth;
reality, or fact, or to the exigencies of the case/ (LL.)

213. (of God's revelations),

214. Which is certainly not identical with the OT, or even with the
Pentateuch, but is synonymous with Torah, of which only fragments can at best be
found in the extant Pentateuch. What the Qur'an commends as a Holy Writ is
certainly not the same book of which it is freely and openly stated that it is 'the
work' not of God but of 'of godly men/ See P. I, nn. 323, 340.

215. Which is not at all identical with the NT or even the Four Gospels of
the Christian Church. 'Injll/ according to the teachings of Islam, was a Book
sent down on Jesus (on whom be peace!), not a collection of reports and stories
about him compiled at dubious dates by unknown persons,— * an undesigned and
unforeseen product of the apostolic age/ (EBr. III. p. 513) The NT, according to
the Christian belief, far from being the Revealed Word of God, 'was or is no f 'book"
at all, properly speaking, but a collection of writings, a great many of which were
at the outset not destined for publication and multiplication .... Sentences may
have been abbreviated or expressions changed. It is similar with the Gospels.
When the first collection of sayings of Jesus or the first narrative of His deeds was
set down in writing, the next who copied it might feel inclined to enlarge it or to
change any detail according to the form in which he had heard it, without any bad

intention . . , It is not possible here to count up all the ways in which errors

may originate/ <DB. IV. pp. 732, 735). In the words of Bishop Gore, 'it was a
calamity that verbal infallibility was ever claimed for them (the Gospel Documents).
(Renan, Life of Jtstu, Intro, p. XII)

216, (addressed by the said Books).

217, d U,J is 'anything that makes a separation, or distinction, between truth
and falsity. Hence j^tf signifies the Kuran ...... And proof, evidence or

demonstration/ (LL) Here it may mean :

(i) either the Qur'an, since it distinguishes between true and false,
(»"' or the Divine Scriptures in general,
(m) or miracles, with which every prophet is gifted.

III. SUrat-ul-'Imran 205

218. i.e., in the clear proofs and evidences of His unity.

219. i.e., able to requite; One whom none can prevent from punishing, un-
like a mere mortal, who could not save himself from being arrested and, to all
appearance, crucified.

220. Le. t I n (lie ter of retribution on the guilty. Ends of righteousness and
equity demand that God must be Just even *be fore being Generous. This attribute
of His, like other Divine attributes, will appear in its fulness on the Day of Requital.
The fact of His being Merciful, surely does not mean that He is incapable of strong
likes and dislikes. He is, above alt, a Person, and not an inert First Cause. In Him
uprightness is not a passive feeling; tt is a character. He must as surely punish the
wicked as reward the righteous. His loving- kindness, infinite no doubt, is not to be
had at the expense of His justice.

221. i.e., His knowledge is all-comprehensive; nothing, not the smallest
detail of anything can escape it. This not only contradicts the heathen notion that
even God's knowledge is imperfect or partial, but also negatives the foolish idea of
some ancient philosophers who held that God knew Only the universal?, and not
the particulars, since a knowledge of the things which change, implied a change
in God's knowledge. He knows everything, great or small, universal or particular.

222. (How could Jesus then with his limited human knowledge be even con-
ceived of as God?) "Ear tli' and 'heaven* are only mentioned because the senses cannot
go beyond them.

223. (and not any other god or godling). In the Hindu mythology there is
a special deity named Tvashtri the fashioner, -whose special office it is to form the
foetus in the womb/ (Barm, Religious of India, p. 21)

224. (O mankind !}

225 . {Of your mo th ers) .

226. (Whether with or without the father's seed}. Just as His knowledge
is a]l-eomprehensive, His power of creation and formation too is absolute, un-
limited, and all-comprehensive.

227. (and His four chief attributes of Life, Sustenance, Knowledge and
Power, all absolute, perfect and unrestricted have already been affirmed.

22G, i.e., Able to inflict retribution on the guilty any moment.
229. (and so He defers retribution to its most proper time).

206 Part ///

7. (ljUTJ\ . . > dJfljjfr) He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book 230
in whfch some verses are firmly constructed 231 — they are the essence of the

Book 832 ; and others consimilar 2 " -But those in whose hearts is a deviation- 3 *
follow only what is consimilar therein 43 *,, seeking dissension ?3fl and seeking to
misinterpret** 1 the same whereas none knows their interpretation 13 * save Ail ah 239 .
And the firmly-grounded in knowledge 240 say, 'we believe in it 241 , it is all from our
lord 21 *;' and none receives admonition save men of understanding 3 * 3 ,

B (l_>U 5 J1 » . . \Xf)) 'Our Lord! suffer not our hearts to deviate 2 " after
that Thou hast guided us 2 **, and bestow on us from Thy presence mercy- 16 .
Surely it is Thou Who art the Bestowed 7 !

9. (*sUfrJ4 . » . UyJ Our Lordl Surely Thou art the assembler of man-
kind on a Day of which there is no doubt. Surely Allah does not fail His
promise"*.

SECTION 2

10. '()UJt . . . ^jajy) Surely those who disbelieve, neither their riches
nor their offspring will avail them aught against Allah" 9 , and it is they who shall
become the fuel of the Fire.

11. (v>U*Jf . . • tJl&S) Like 26 * Fir*awn's* M folk and those before them***.
They belied Our signs, 'so Allah seized them for their sins"*. And Allah is
Terrible in chastising.

230. (O prophet e)

231. *'.*,, unambiguous, free from all obscurity, and admitting of one
interpretation.

232. f is 'The source, origin, foundation, or basis, of a thing, its stay,
support, or efficient cause of subsistence. Anything to which other things that are

next thereto arc collected together, or adjoined .the main, or chief, part of

a thing ; the main body thereof (LL). Here it signifies the fundamental part of
the Book, its essence, comprising its principal tenets and central doctrines in conso-
nance with which other passages, less dear and less definite, are to be interpreted

///. SUrat-t/f- 'fmrM 207^

and understood. And the principle enunciated here holds good of every other
Scripture. All indistinct, figurative, and ambiguous passages occurring in the
Taurat and Injll are to be understood in the light of, and in accordance with, those
others that are clear, definite and unequivocal.

233. *",«,, open to various interpretations; those verses whose drift is not
clear, owing cither to their being too general or to their seeming opposition to
some clear text.

234. ij* means a doubting, and a declining, or deviating, from the truth.
i,.j5 deviation from the truth, or the right way of belief or conduct/ (LL)

235. {and adhere to a false interpretation thereof in complete disregard of
what is positive, clear and definite in the fundamental cox is),

236. (and mischief thereby}, i. ** t seeking to draw men away from the
religion of God by suggesting doubts and difficulties, and making the equivocal texts
contradict the unequivocal.

237. i.*., seeking to explain it to mean what they want; seeking the text to
fit In with their own notions, their whims and personal desires.

238. i.*,j trite import and full significance of the ambiguous texts*

239. (and He can give that true interpretation either in the Qur'an itself,
or through the sunnah of His prophet). Hence the importance of the sunnah as.,
next to the Qur'an, the source of Islamic law.

240. i.e, t the we 11 -versed and steadfast in Divine truth.

241. U* t in the Qur'an.

242. (and so there can be no discrepancy or contradiction in His work).
With this belief those well-grounded in the knowledge refer all such passages to the
principle laid down above, and interpret them accordingly.

243. i.*. s those who exercise their commonsensc. Reason also commends
this course of interpreting the equivocal in the light of the unequivocal.

244. (from the right course, as has happened in the case of the 'people of
the Book' formerly). Thus cry the 'firmly-grounded in knowledge* in true humility
and with befitting piety.

245. (to the right path of interpretation).

246. i.e. t keep us rightly guided to the very end ; help us towards abiding
in the truth, unlike the Jews and Christians who are addicted to misinterpreting their
Scriptures,

247. (of all gifts and Favours), It shall be remembered that whatever good
comes to men from God it comes as a mere favour, and not as a matter of right
on our part.

248. His very Divinity negatives such a supposition. Note the change, to
magnify and intensify what is promised, from the second person to the third.

249. (as has been the false belief of certain heathen peoples),

250. f.*., like the case of. Connected with the last words of the preceding
verse the phrase means: 'it shall not avail them, as it did not avail in the
case of— J

351, (the persecutor of Moses). All his efforts to avert the doom not only
failed signally but directly led to his destruction.

252. i.e. t ungodly nations of antiquity.

253. (and extirpated them).

208 Part III

gagftjf rjljjviti:

It/SSI

12. (iit^JS J * " ^S) Say thou to them who disbelieve" 4 , 'soon 2 ** shall
you be overcome 966 , and gathered unto Hell- an evil couch'.

13. (jUa/J l , ♦ . 45 j Indeed there has been for you a sign 2 " in the two
hosts"* that met 2 ", t?ne host fighting in the way of Allah, and the other dis-
believing, beholding themselves 2 * with their own eyes** 1 , twice ss many as
they 462 . And Allah aids with His succour whom He will. Surely in this 2 * 3 is a
lesson 2 " for the men of insight 2 ".

14. (U->-Jl . , . ^jj) Fair-seeming to mankind 266 is made the love of
pleasurable things 867 from women and offspring and treasures hoarded 20 * of gold
and silver and horses branded and cattle and tilth- 6 ". A/f that is the enjoyment 270
of the life of this world- 71 , and with Allah is the best resort 272 .

254. (and are unceasing in their hostility to Islam, O Prophet).

255. »,#., in this very world ; your chastisement is near at hand, and you
shall have not to wait long.

256. (by the little band of the Muslims whom in your vanity you utterly
despise). The threat is probably addressed to the pagans of Makka who received
a crushing defeat at the battle of Badr; or it may refer to the Jews of Madina,
who openly boasu-d of their financial resourcefulness and military skill, but were
soon to be exterminated- In either case the fulfilment of the prophecy, so bold and
definite and yet so opposed to the apparent realities at the time, was in itself a
singular vindication of the holy Prophet's claims.

257. (demonstrating the power of Almighty and the truth of His Prophet's
claims}.

25K. £*,, the Muslims and the Makkan pagans.

259. (each other at Badr in the second year of the Hijrah era). 'There were
950 men of the Meccans; more than threefold the number of the Muslim force*
They were mounted on 700 camels and 100 horses, the horsemen all clad in mail".
(MmY op th, p. 221), The Battle of Badr was indeed a critical point in the career

Surat-u! 'Imr&n

209

of Mohammad Not only was a most decisive victory gained over a force

three times his own in number but the slain on the enemy's side included in a
remarkable manner many of his most influential opponents. In addition to the chief
men killed or made prisoner, Abu Lahab, who was not present hi die battle, died
a few days after the return of the fugitive army— as if the decree marking out the
enemies of the Prophet was inevitable/ (ib. pp, 235, 236} Admissions like these by
a writer whose, bias against Islam is so palpable, are an eloquent commentary on the
battle of Bad i' being a 'sign'' or a 'token',

260 . (as tltcry actually we re) .

2(5 L (and not fancying or imagining).

262. i\#», the Muslims, The pagans found themselves, with clear face-to-
lace vision several times the number of the Muslims, and yet were completely

routed.

263. i.i?., in this crushing defeat of the powerful confederacy of J he Makkan
slate at the hands ofill-fed, ill-clad and ill-equipped Muslims-

264. (by which one could take warning or example).

265. i.*», for those who make use of their insight.
26G. (for the purpose of their trial).

267, Or 'desires' jj^ is 'Desire, or longing, or yearning of the soul

for a thing ; sometimes it is applied to the object of desire or thing desired.'

(LL) Tt is agreeably with the latter usage that the word is used in the plural.

2G8. Or 'hoards or hoarded/ jjLfaj&« ^feUJ m 7 'Much riches collected
together." (LL).

269. All these are mentioned as instances of the objects of pleasure or
desire.

270. pis* has two entirely different meanings. In one sense, it is provision,
goods or chatties; in another sense, it Is enjoyment. It is in the latter sense that
it is used here.

271. (which is itself perishable). So all these ephemeral pleasures are but
empty forms before the lasting bliss of the Hereafter,

272. i.*. t with Him are the real and imperishable pleasures.

210 Part Hi

■U*C*(J! , r^'rilij

• 1& (oUjJIj . . . «j) Say thou 27S , 'shall I declare to you what is fat
better than these 27 *? For those who fear Allah are gardens with their Lord 276 ,
beneath which rivers flow where they shall abide, and spouses clean"*, and
goodwill of Allah ' s ". And Allah is Beholder of His servants- 7 *—

16. [jUiJi^Iixi , r ^jjJl) Who 27 * say*" , 'Our Lordl surely we have be-
lieved, so forgive us our sins, and keep us from the torment of the Fire,- —

17. (jLm-Jb . . . ^jyjLatt) The steadfast ones and the truthful ones and
the devout ones and the spenders in charity* 9,1 1 and the praying ones at early
dawns 2 " 2 for forgiveness.

18. (* 4 &=dl . . . £U3*fA} Allah bears witness 2 **— and a/so the angels* 8 *
and those endowed with knowledge 265 — that there is no God but He, the
Maintainer of equity eec ; there is no God but He 267 , the Mighty***, the Wise 28 *.

19. (0L.SJI . . , ujjijy) Surely the true faith with Aflah B(,c, is Islam 2 * 1 ,
and thoso who were given the Book disputed not 202 among themselves save
after the knowledge had come to them***, out of spite among themselves 2 * 1 . And
he who disbelieves in the revelations of Allah, then surely Allah is Swift in
reckoning.

273. (O Prophet!),

274. :.*., infinitely better in quality, quantity and duration than the
ephemeral pleasures of the world.

275. *And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to gene-
ration/ (Lk. 1 : 50) 'Let us cleanse ourselves from all fihhiness of the flesh uda

spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God/ (2. Co. 7:1)' and that

thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the sain Is, and
them that fear thy name, small and great/ (Re. 11 : 18).

276. (from all pollutions). See P. L n. 108.

277. {which is the most supreme bliss conceivable).
270, (and He shall recompense each accordingly).

SUrar-uJ 'tmran 211

279. Case in apposition with 'those who fear Allah' in the preceding verse,

280. (as befits men of true piety).
281* (in God's cause), i.e., almsgivers.

282 , 'Early dawns' are particularized as prayer at those hours is rather irk-
some, although the mind is refreshed and spiritual faculties are purer.

283, (in the old Scriptures as well as through the ever- fresh cosmic order).
He proves His unity, first, by establishing the evidence in nature, which indicate it ;
secondly, by revealing the holy texts which declare it.

284, (who far from being gods or demi-gods are the first and foremost con-
fessors of His unity),

285, i.e., men of true religious insight.

286, (in His creation), Lt. absolutely just in His distribution of gifts and

His judgements.

287, Note the frequency with which this formula of Divine unity is repeated
in this chapter, presumably to emphasise the doctrine of monotheism in the face of
Christian Trinity and tri-theisw.

238. Lf*t of transcending power.

289. i.e,j of transcending wisdom.

290. i.e., acceptable to Him; true En His sight. *The only true religion in
God's sight is el-Islam/ (WGAL. II. p. 264).

291. (and Islam alone), Islam is the technical name of the creed preached
by the holy Prophet. It has been the religion of all prophets in all climes, other
religions (so-called) being only so many deviations from it. No religion is acceptable
with God save Islam, which consists in acknowledging the Unity and Soleness of God
and embracing the Code which Muhammad (peace be on him J) brought. Literally,
and in practice, it is f sel f-sur render. ' 'Submission, absolute surrender to the divine
will was a fit designation of the faith revealed to Abraham Ishmael, and the Arabs/
(Torrey, Jtwish Foundation qf Islam, p. 104) . Islam, the. name applied by Muhammad
himself to his religion, means the religion of resignation, submission to the will, the
service, the commands of God*. (Klein, The Religion of Islam, p. I).

292. (with the Muslims and among themselves). Some accepted the Qurln,
others rejected it altogether, and yet others said that it was meant for the Arabs

only.

293. (of truth), i>*>, arguments and evidences supporting it.

294. (and out of desire for supremacy over the Muslim Arabs). It was a
matter of deep envy to the Israeli tips— or of injured national pride, as they thought,—
that, the great and highly honoured gift of prophethood should now be transferred
from them to the race of Ismail (on him be peace I)

212 Parti H

^&$&&l6§ e&3^M

20, (dtfjJtj . -hjU) So 2 " 5 if they contend with thee 2 **, say thou, 'I
have surrendered myself to Allah 2 * 7 and also he who follows me 2 **. And say
thou to those who have been given the Book and to the illiterates"*, 'accept
Islam 31 * . Then if they accept Islam, they are indeed guided™'; but if they turn
away then upon thee is only the preach ing*° B , and Allah is Beholder of His
servants 3011 .

SECTION 3

21, L±i\ . . . tfg&ttJ) Surely those who disbelieve in the revelations of
Allah and put to death the prophets without right 3 "* and kill those among
mankind who enjoin equity™ 4 -announce thou to them a torment afflictive 3 **,

22, ( ,h***9i • ■ • u_XaJ* ( ) These are they whose works have come to
naught in this world and the Hereafter, nor shall they have helpers 5,07 .

23, / 1 jrfjA* ... Jl) Hast thou 3lJ6 not observed those given a portion of
the Book 30 * called to the Book 3 ' 41 of Allah, that it may judge between them 311 ?
Then 312 a party of them turns away, unheeding 313 .

24, Ljjji^> • ■ • i-SJ1i) Tnfs is because 314 they say., 'the Fire shall not
touch us save for a few days numbered 316 . And what they have been fabricating 316
has deluded them in their religion.

295. M*, after every evidence has been established for the truth of Islam.

296. (regarding the truth of Islam, O Prophet I)

297. i.*,, I have given over my whole soul and all my person to God. On
its subjective side this is the essence of Islam — absolute surrender to the wiU of God,
ia. literally is 'face or countenance gjj ^^ e^-U I resigned, or resign, myself to
God, i.e., I became, or become, a Muslim. ^ here is used fen 1 llie whole because
it is the most noble part/ (l j I*)-

298. (does the same). *".*., they have all become Muslims heart and soul.

299. (of Makka), i.e., the pagans who have no knowledge of the Scriptures.
^] properly means, a gentile, as distinguished from an Israelite, "Whence in a

/// SDrat-ul 'imfhn 2 13

secondary, or tropical sense, a heathen ; one not having a revealed scripture, so
applied by those having a revealed scripture ; and particularly an Arab, or in the
proper language of ihe Arabs of or belonging to, or relating to, the nation (iU!)
of the Arabs, who did not write nor read ; and therefore metaphorically applied to
any one not knowing the art of writing nor that of reading/ (I,L)

300. J.aaX-wSM c bJI t>r * no interrogative alif so me times denotes command, as

in this instance. So j&JL*, 1 'S equivalent to &„XJ\ enter ye into the religion of
Islam. (LL), *Thi.s simple creed demands no great trial of faith, arouses as a rule
no particular intellectual difficulties and is within the compass of the meanest in-
telligence . . , The first half of it enunciates a doctrine that is almost universally
accepted hy man as a necessary postulate;, while the second half is based on a theory
of man's relationship to God that is almost equally widespread, viz., that at intervals
?n the world's history God grants some revelation of Himself to men through the
mouthpiece of inspired prophets/ (Arnold, Preaching of Islam, p. 413)

301. I. e., they have surely found guidance. "If this be Islam/ 3 asks Goethe,
"do we not all live in Islam ?" ? f Ym" answers Carlyle, "alt of us that have any
moral life, we alt live so." f I am often asked when and why I became a Moslem . . .
It seems that J have always been a Moslem. This is not so strange when one re-
members that Islam is the natural religion that a child left to itself woutd
develop. - Indeed; as a Western, critic once described it, Islam is the religion
of common sense/ (Lady Cob bold, Pilgrimage lo Mecca, p. XIII).

302. (of the Divine message, Q Prophet !) The apostle has only to deliver
the Message and to preach it, but has nothing to do with its results.

303. (and He shall recompense each accordingly). A promise to the faithful,
and a threat to the infidels.

304. For the consistently rebellious attitude of the Jews towards the prophets
of their own race, see P. I. nn. 267, 269, 270, 271.

305. 'They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that
speaketh uprightly/ (Am. 5 : 10}

306. 'The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to
cast down the poor and needy* and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their
sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken/ (Fs« 37:
14, 15).

307. (able to avert or even commute their punishment).

308. (O Prophet !)

309. (sufficient for the purpose of guidance). The reference is to 4 lie Jews
and the 'Book* stands fo? 1 God's Revealed Books in general

310. i.e., Taurat.

311. (concerning their religious differences and disputes).

214 Part ill

312. ^ here implies distance not in time but in thought, since it was not .to-
be expected that they would turn away from their own Book (Mb), An expression

of surprise at their behaviour.

3 J3, (by old confirmed habit and refuse to accept the judgment of their own
Hook). Cf. the OT : 'And my people are bent to back-sliding from me : though they
called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. (HO. 11:7). *But
Where arc thy gods that thou hast mat 1 * thee? let them arise, If they can save thee
in the time of thy trouble : for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O
Judah ! Wherefore will ye plead with me ? ye all have transgressed against me,
saith the Lord. In vain have I smitten your children ; they received no correction ;
your owns word hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion/ (Je. 2: 28-30)

314. i>,, their habitual backsliding persists because—.

315. 'We can see alike from the Gospels and from St. Paul how constantly
the Jews had upon their lips, We have Abraham to our Father/ (DB. IT. p. 606).
See P. I. nn. 343, 344.

316. i.e., doctrines falsely attributed to God, such as the fiction that the
Fire would not touch them save for certain days or that their fathers, the prophets,
would intercede for them, or that God had promised Jacob that He would not punish
his children except so far as the fulfilment of His oath required.

///. SBnt-uf-'fmran 215

rising

-y>

i 4Jju sij^j.rjyij* j^s (4,U r _jft^ . :

25. Li*iJU2w . - • Ok*£j) How m7/ * ** then 317 when He gather them on
the Day about which there is no doubt, and every soul shall be repaid what it has
earned 81 *; and they shall not be wronged*".

26. ( Hli .s ... Jj)) Say thou 520 , '0 Allah, Sovereign of the dominion 1
Thou gi vest dominion to whom Thou wift, m and Thou takest away dominion from
whom Thou wilt 322 . Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt 3 * 3 , and Thou abasest whom
Thou writ 32 *. And in Thy hand is the good 326 ; and surely Thou art Potent over
everything"^

27. (u*La- • - • V) Jhou p' uf| 9 est night into day and Thou plungest
day into night 327 ; and Thou bringesl forth the living from the lifeless 32 *, and Thou
bringest forth the lifeless from the Jiving 829 ; and Thou providest for whom Thou
wilt without stint 3301 .

28. f A-t3*iS . . . ll) Let not the believers take to themselves the infidels as
friends beside the believers 331 , and he who does that, does not in aught belong
to Allah 38 *, unless you 335 indeed fear from them a danger* 3 *. And Allah warms
you of Himself 35 and to Allah is the fast return 33 *.

317. (with them). The words indicate the magnitude of the evil which shall
encompass them.

318. (either of good or of evil).

319. i.e., nobody's virtues shall be undervalued, nor shall anybody's mis-
deed* be over-estimated.

320. (O Prophet !}

321. Contrast with this the Hindu idea that the king "is a great deity in
human form: 1 (ERE. VII. p. 720) and that among 'eight sacred objects which must
be reverenced, worshipped, and circumambulated sun-wise the eighth is a King/ (lb)
In Islam, a king is a king, a mere man, not a godling. This strikes at the root of
'the Divine right of the king 1 and all forms of king-worship and emperor- worship —
Pharaoh-worship of the Egyptians and Mikado-worsphip of the Japanese.

216 Part III

322. Contrast with this simples Godlike teaching of Islam the amazing
theories and grotesque practices of Christian Europe. 'The principle that kingship

is "descendible in one sacred family" is not only still that of the British

constitution, as that of all monarchical states, but is practically that of kingship from
the beginning . . . , The crowning and anointing of the emperors, borrowed from
Byzantium and traceable to the influence of the Old Testament, was imitated by
lesser potentates; and this 'sacring* by ecclesiastical authority gave to the king a

character of special sanctity In England it is not without significance that

sacerdotal vestments .... continued to be among the insignia of the sovereign.
Moreover, this sacrosanct character he aquired, not by virtue of his ^sacring" but
by hereditary right ; the coronation, anointing and vesting were but the outward and
visible symbol of a divine grace adherent to the sovereign by virtue of his title.
(EBr,, XV. p. 3010). And the half successful attempt for deification of himself by
the pagan Julius Caesar in perhaps too well-known to be recapitulated. Sec EBr IV
p. 524,

323. (and the prophetic office is the highest honour that can possibly be
conferred on any individual or nation).

324. Withdrawal of prophetic office in the case of an individual being out of
the question, in the context it can only refer to transference of that incomparable gift
from Israel to another nation.

_ 325. . (of every description). And it is good that is to be sought, hence express
mention of it, and not of evil which is equally in His hands.

326. (it is no wonder then, that the children of Is ma 'i I hitherto weak and
down-trodden, are now being raised to honour and glory, and a noble soul among
them is elevated to the highest pitch of spiritual glory).

327. Both of which are created beings like all other things, and the notion

of a 'night-deity* and 'day-deity 1 is preposterous,

228. Mr,, as a bird from an egg.

329. *>*j as an egg from a bird.

330. One who is so Mighty and so Good is also Able to alternate humilia-
tion and glory, and to bestow sovereignly as well as withdraw it.

33 1. !.«., neither to the exclusion of the Muslims, nor in addition to them.
Friendship implies nearness of heart, and this sort of relationship with the infidels
is absolutely forbidden to the Muslims. Such isolation from disintegrating forces is
imperative as a prerequisite to the solidarity of the Islamic community. This, how-
ever, does not preclude affability of manners and politeness of speach.

^ 232. i.e., he stands in no relationship to God worthy to be called friendship.
Friendship with the enemies of God is a direct negation of friendship with God.

333. (O Muslims I)

334. (for yourselves). Real friendship in such circumstances is out of the
question. Only an alliance is permitted in times of danger.

335. i.e., of His Judgment,

336. ie. t Him ultimately you will have to face ; so do not expose yourselves
to His wrath by breaking His commands and befriending His enemies.

///. SBrat-ttf-'fmran

29 - (wi3 ■ 15 ) Sa V thou35T: whether you hide what is in your hearts

or publish it Allah knows it 338 ; and He knows what is rn the heavens and in the
earth 338 ; and Atlah is Potent over everything 3 **.

30. fdU*rtj ■ » t-Mi) The Dav when each soul shall find presented 341
whatever it has worked of good and whatever it has worked of evil, it would like
that there were between it and that Day a wide space 3 **. And Allah warns you
of Himself 345 , Allah is Tender to His servants 3 ".

SECTION 4

31. (*^j . . . ll) Say thou 3 ", if you" 6 , are wont to love Allah 517 , then
follow me 3 **, and Allah'shall love you 3 * 8 and forgive you your sins 3 "; and Allah
is Forgiving, Merciful.

32. (.jjjk.a*. . . . {>) Say thou 551 , 'Obey Allah and the messenger 3 **;
then if they turn away r surely Allah does not love the infidels 363 .

33. ( ^JU'l • J) Surely did Alfah choose Adam and Nuh 36 * and the
house of a IbrSMm 3 " and the house of 'Imr5n ar,< \ above aif worlds 5 "—

34. (f+u: . .*j)»>) The seed of one another 356 ; and Allah is Heating 3 **,
Knowing 3 "*

337. (O Prophet!)

338. ml, unlike so many heathen gods, His knowledge is perfect, all-
pervading, all-embracing j He is not to be beguiled by any of your excuses.

339. (venture not, therefore, to offend Him, since there can be no offence

which He does no t know).

340. (venture not, therefore, to offend Him, since there can be no offence
which He is not able to punish),

341. (along with itself).

342. {of time). ^5 is 'any space of time ; or space of time of unknown limit.
(LL) Note that even those who have some good works to their credit shall long to have

218 Pan ///

wide space between them and that Day with its terrors. Far sadder and immensely
more fright fit 1 would that Day be for those who are evil-doers out and out.

343. Repeated for the sake of emphasis and to impress it on the memory.

344. (and it is only out of that infinite tenderness, and with a regard for
their own welfare, that He constantly reminds them, forbids them, and warns
them),

345. (O Prophet !}

346. (O Jews and others !)

347. (as you profess).

348. (and perfect your life on my model). The great Prophet is the perfect
man; so his life is to serve as a model in every little detail for all true believers.

349. (which is the highest conceivable object of life). Cf. the NT: 'If ye

'Christians'* chose to reject him !

350. i,*,, He will be satisfied with you, and pass over your inadvertencies,
and will bring you near to His glorious holiness.

351. (O Prophet] to the mankind).

352. (commissioned by Him to teach mankind the ways of His worship)
i,*,, submit to His will through His Prophet; worship Him as preached by His
apostle. Worship of God, and God alone, is of course the goal of a Muslim's life,
but the way to attain that end can be known only by Revelation through His apostle,
and not by mere human reason,

353. (and they are the veritable infidels, and their lip -profession of the love

of God is moonshine).

354- . it, Noah of the Bible.

355. (which family includes Isroa'll and his progeny as well as Isaac and
his sons).

356. Two distinct personalities of this name, with an intervening period of
several centuries between them, have been recognised by the Qur'an one the well-
known father of the prophet Moses and Aaron (peace he on both !) ; the other, the
less known father of Mary (peace be on her f) and the grandfather of the prophet
John and Jfsm (peace be on both!), known to Christian writers as Joachim or
lyokem. The identity of names has led to a curious confusion and to a 'comedy of
errors' on the part of many a Christian 'scholar/ Either of the 'Imrans or both of
them may be meant in this place,

357. (to be His apostles and to possess certain moral and religious

privileges),

358. The whole phrase is permutative of the word 'house* occurring twice.
Noah was descendant of Adam ; Abraham a descendant of both ; the two 'Imrans
descendants of all the three.

359. i.e., Hearer of men's words.

360. iri. t Knower of men's motives. So He chooses those whose words and
motives arc right.

Ill, SBrat-ul-'Imr^n

219

■ .ssbjss ■ .

35. (*jJUJT . . * SX) Recall when the wife of lmrgn" 1 said 'my Lord!
surely ! have vowed to Thee what is in my belly to be dedicated 362 ; accept
Thou this of me. Surely Thou! only Thou: art the Hearer* 3 , the Knower* 4 .

36. (^yjl . . . ULi) Then when she bore her 3 ", she said 38 *, 'my Lord!
surely I bore a"fema!e a(? — And Allah knew best what she had born 3 * 8 —and the
male is not as the female 31 '*, and surely I have named her Maryam 3 ™ and I com-
mit her and her progeny to Thee 3 " for protection from Satan the accursed'*" I

37. L^., iiiijSftS) Then her Lord accepted her 373 with goodly
acceptance 974 / and made her grow up with a goodly growth, 371 and He made
Zakariyya m take care of her 377 . Whenever Zakariyya entered the apartment 3 " to
see her., he found provision by her*™. He said, s O Maryaml whence 3 " hast thou
this'? She said, this is from before Allah 1 ". Surely Allah provides for whom
He will without stint. 5 "

38. (>UsJi - ■ ■ cJJU*) Immediately 383 did Zakariyya 364 pray to His Lord,
'my Lordt bestow on me from Thy presence 3 ** a goodly offspring, surely Thou I
only Thou art the Hearer of prayer.'

361. i.e*i Mary's mother, Jesus' grandmother, known as Hannah or Anne.
«It has been generally imagined by Christian writers that the Koran here confounds
Mary the mother of Jesus with Mary or Mariam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. . ♦ .
Yet I do not see how it can be made out from the words of the Koran/ (Sale)
Muslim historians have traced the genealogies of both. The Christians admit that
in their own records and genealogies nothing of any historical value is recorded of
parentage of Mary. (EBr. XVII. p. 81 1).

362. (to Thy sole service), ^ is, 'He set apart a child for the worship of
Cod and the service of the mosque or oratory : or he devoted him to the service of
the church as long as he should live.' And } ^\a means, 'A child devoted by the
parent to the service of a church/ (LL) The phrase thus means : 'I will not occupy
him with anything else ; he shall be freed from all worldly occupations and wholly
devoted to the service of thy Sanctuary/ The Protestant Christian version, based on

220 p a n III

'legends/ is :' — An angel comforted her by the news that Joachim was returning,

and that who would hear him a child, whom she at once vowed to dedicate to the
service of the temple/ (DB. IL p. 258) The Catholic Church holds, on the
authority of the apocryphal literature : — 'Anne and Joachim had reached old age
and still remained childless ; their prayers were answered, an angel of the Lord
announcing 10 Anne that the fruit of her womb would be blessed by all the world/
{CD. p. 48} And according to the tradition of the Coptic Church :— 'And Hannah
said. "My Lord and my God ! If it is be that Thou hast given me a son I will give
him to God, and T will dedicate him to the service of the sanctuary all the days of
his life/' (Budge. Legends of Our Lady Mary, p. 124).

363. (of my prayer).

364. {of the? sincerity of my motives)

365. I.e., a daughter, Mary (of blessed memory).

366. (in her great disappointment).

367. and not a son as I had desired and expected). The birth of a daughter
naturally seemed to Hannah to be a disappointment, since a girl could not be very
suitable for the service of the sanctuary,

368. A parenthetical proposition directly from God, intended to glorify the
child and to show that the mother knew nothing of its worth.

369. t,(f., in this particular instance. No male child (such as Hannah
desired) could be like this female child in worth (Th). The principle, though
enunciated only incidentally, is also of general application, and emphasises the
fundamental biological differences between the sexes. 'From the moment of fertili-
sation onwards, man and woman differ in every cell of their body in regard to the
number of their chromosomes— these bodies which, for all the world's un familiarity,
have been shown by the last decade's work to be the bearers of heredity, the deter-
miners of our characters and qualities „ . „ The differences then are considerable ; so

considerable that they can never permit of the simple equivalence of the sexes *

It is temperament which in the long run decrees what we shall make of our intellects,
and in temperament there is and will be — not for centuries but for biological
periods— a fundamental average difference between the sexes,* (Julian Huxley,
Essays in Popular Science, pp, 64-65) See also P. II, nn. 51 ! f 514; P. V.
nn. 58, 73 +

370. U. s Mary of the Bible,

371. i.e., I commit her and her descendants to Thy care and protection.
Hannah intercedes with her Lord and begs that He "will protect the child and let her
prosper.

372. p^y or 'accursed' is simply' one lying under a curse, execrable, driven
avyay from the Divine grace, and. has, in this connection, nothing whatever to do
with the 'pelting of stones 3 so inaptly alluded to by the Christian translators of
the Qur'an.

///. SUrat-ut-'lmran 221

373. (and was ratified with her m place of the male for the fulfilment of the

vow J .

374. And when the maiden was three years old, lyakem called his pure.

Hebrew maid-servants . , and brought her into the house of the sanctuary ......

And the priests, and the elders, and all the children or Israel blessed her, and God
made great joy to come upon her.* £Budge, op cit. p. 127).

375. Note that it is the Qjir'an, not the Bible, that makes mention in terms
of high honour and glory, of Mary's birth and upbringing. 'Godly growth' may
either be of her body find physique, or of her righteousness and virtue, or of

both.

376. *.*», Zechariah of (ha NT : commended as blameless before God.
'There was hi the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named
Zechariah, of the course of Abijali : and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and
her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all
die commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 5 ' (I.K. 1 : 5, 6). He was
Mary's maternal uncle, i.e., husband of Hannah's sister.

377. {and to act as her guardian after 'Imrlui or lyakem, the grandfather of
Mary, and the chief priest at die sanctuary, who was dead by now).

378. i.e., the loneliest part of the sanctuary to which she had retired out of

the way of the people.

379. This naturally excited wonder in him, since none could enter her
apartment except himself, and he. used to lock doors upon her.

380. i.e., from what direct ion or quarter.

381. M.j from God direct, so do not be surprised.

382. (miraculously,. without the intervention of any physical agency).

383. i.*,, at that time, or at that place. tJt* originally an adverb of place,
is also used as an adverb of time.

384-, (moved at the sight of the miraculous supply of provision to Mary).
385. (as Thou bestowedest on the old and barren Hannah).

222 p a n III

p^^- , , 4#'&

39- (^AisiiUiJS , . . KjdUi) Then the angels 8 " called him while he stood
praying in the appartment, surely Allah announces to thee Yahya aHT ! con-
firming the word from Allah 3 **, a leader 88 *, and chaste, 3 " and a prophet, from
among the righteous* 8 * 1 .

40. (*U&jta . . , JL?) Ho said, 'my Lord! how will there be 3 " unto me a
son while old age has overtaken me and my wife is barren 383 , Allah said, 'so It
shall be*™, Allah does what He will 3 **.

41. (j&jJMj . . + Jljt) He said, 'my Lord! appoint tome a sign 3 * 8 , Allah
said, thy sign is that thou shall not speak to anyone 397 for three days 3 ** save
by tokens" , and remember thy Lord much** , and hallow Him in the evening 101
and morning 1 **,

SECTION 5

42. {^jlO»J! . . . ct\ j) And re -call when the angels* 03 said, 'O Maryam'
surely Allah chose thee 4W and cleansed thee* 06 and chose thee"* above the
women of the worlds.

43. {^fyl , . . fj^j) O Maryam I 'be devout unto thy Lord, prostrate
thyself and bow down with those who bow down' 407 .

386. i f t r , some of the class of angels: like the expression, 'he rides horses/
i.e., certain of them.

387. t>*j a son so named. 'John the Baptist* of the Bible. Cf. the NT :
'But the angel said unto him. Fear not, Zechariah : for thy prayer is heard ; and
thy wife Elisabeth shall hear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And
thou shalt have joy and gladness- and many shall rejoice at his birth/
(Lk. Is 13). ,

388. 'A word from Allah* is the Prophet Jesus (peace he on him I), He is
tailed 'a word* because he came into existence by His command, without the
ordinary instrumentality of a father. (Bdh)

389. (of men in matters religious and spiritual). 'Large crowds flocked to
his teaching\ (EBr. XIIL p. 17). ( It is clear that very large numbers came to

/;/. SBrat-uf-'/mrSn

him, and he was generally accepted as a prophet/ (D.B. II. p. 679).

390. i*t* t continent : one who preserves his soul from all worldly pleasures
and enjoyments,, v*a-i. is 'Very fearful or cautious, who abstains, or refrains, from
a thing through fear/ (LL) 'And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit/
(Lk. I ; 60). John was a man of austere ascetic fife, symbolising the severity of
his attitude as a moral critic of his time; preaching to ail classes the necessity of
repentance/ (EBi, c. 2437)

391. Note that the Qur*an distinctly affirms John's prophethood as well as
righteousness,

392. i.e., in what particular way shall it come about? The expression is not
of wonder, much less of in credulity ., but merely a request for further enlightenment.

393. 'For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.' (Lk. 1 : IS)
'Their union was not blessed with offspring. It was due to Elisabeth's barrenness;
and she -keenly felt the reproach which is occasioned, for it was a common opinion
among the Jews that childlessness was God's punishment, for guilt. '{Hastings, Ditrtewarj'
of Christ and the Gosptls, II. p. 044) According to the Muslim computation, he was
99 and his wife 93.

394. t.f,, it would happen to thee whilst thou art of this very age, without
the restoration of youth.

395. f For with God nothing shall be impossible/ {Lk, 1 ;36)

396. (whereby I may know that my wife has conceived, and in order that I
may prepare some special offering to Thee).

39 7 . ( b u t siia \ t rem em b or a nd hallow God ) . Cf. the NT ; — . 'A nd , 1 >e hoi d ,
thou shall be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be
performed And when he came out, he could not speak unto them/ (Lk. I :20-22)

398. (and three n igh ts) .

499. (with the hands or the head). 'For he beckoned unto them, and re-
mained speechless/ (Lk, I : 22) 'Silence, as an aid to worship or as a method
of preparing the soul for spiritual experiences, has been practised among large or
smaller groups in almost all periods of religious history and in almost all parts of the
world . . . . ♦ . The OT contains many references to the value of silence as a pre-
paration for spiritual vision or revelation The voice in the stillness was felt

to be a clearer revelation of God than earthquake, fire, or storm,' (ERE. XI.
p. 512).

400. i.e., both in thy heart and by word of mouth during the period.

401. *,f,j from the afternoon until sunset.

402. l, e,, from dawn until midday.

403. See n. 386 above.

404. (in the childhood, inasmuch as no other female bad been accepted
before her for Divine service in the sanctuary). The 'choice* may also have reference
to her being supplied with sustenance in a miraculous way.

224

** , Part III

405. (of sins and moral impurities),

406, (once again, on thy attaining maturity, by certain privileges ; such as
conception without a male agency, and the like). CJ. the NT:-And the angel came
in unto her, and laid, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women.' (Lk.- 1 : 28).

^ ^ 407, With all her great gifts. Mary is a mere mortal, and has no part of
Divinity in her whatsoever. She is, like all true and devout servants of God,
specially enjoined to pray, and the canons of prayer are mentioned in detail in
order to lay strew on their accurate observance. She h neither a goddess, nor a
demi-goddess, nor yet a Mother- God I

///, SUrat-uf-'fmran 225

<4j

:^L

" (idj-M***!^. - - tJJl*>) This is of the tidings of the unseen which We
reveal to thee 4na , and thou wast not with them 403 when they cast their reeds«° as
to which of them should have charge of Maryam 411 nor wast thou with them
when they disputed 412 .

45, ("aafAifl.. . utJlSit) fle-ca// when the angels"* said, r O Maryam!
surly Allah announces to thee a word from Him* 14 ; his name* 15 shall be the MasTh 41 *
'Isa 41 ' son of Maryam 418 , illustrious In this world 419 and the Hereafter 42 *, and one
of those brought nigh 4ai —

46. f asadUJt . . *Kj .1 And he shall speak to mankind 422 in the cradle 4 - 9
and maturity 4 " 4 and be on? of the righteous" 5 .

^ 7 - ( >})<*.* - ■■ - tf-JW) She said, 'my Lord I how will there be a son unto
me while no man has touched me 4£e J Allah said 421 , 'so ft shaff be***. Allah creates
what He will* 2 *. When He decrees a thing. He only says to it r 'Be', and it be-
comes" ,

48. ( lia&IJflL . . - **JUj ,) And He shall teach him the Book 1 " and
wisdom and the Tawra"t and the lnjrl 4n -.

408. {O Prophet 1} I.e., this is among those events of which the accurate
records are now obliterated altogether, and there is no means of knowing it in full
and exact details except by Revelation.

409. I.*,, the priests at the sanctuary.

410. (in the river Jorden, as lots).

41 L (as bis ward). Mary being the orphan-daughter of the chief priest
lyakem, the priests discussed and disputed as to who should have her in his charge.
Zechariah (peace be on Him !) an elderly kinsman put forward his claim ; others
demurred. Recourse was eventually had to the casting of lots. All of them threw
their reed-pens with certain passages of the To rah written upon them in the Jordan,
The reeds of all, except the reed of Zechariah, either sank down or drifted with the
current ; his alone swam against it. Thus he had the charge of her.

412, (among themselves on the point of the guardianship). The reminder is

226 Pan fll

not superfluous, It is to emphasize that nobody could narrate these details with
truth unless aided by Revelation,

413. See no. 386 above.

414. Sec il. 388 above. The announcement is of a son j who, being without a
father, would be known as a word from Him.

4)5. ^J in Arabic denotes surname as well as name.

416. i.e., Messiah of the libit, Messiah, (he surname of Jesus, is a title of
honour, literally meaning 'the anointed/ Notice that the Qur'an fully concedes the
Messiahship of Jesus ; it is only his Divinity, his Son-ship, his God-head that it is
so unsparing in assailing.

417. I,;,, Jesus of the NT. and Arabicizcd form of Ishu,

418. Himself a mere mortal, Jesus was also the son of a frail, ordinary
woman, and not the son of God. The epithet ^^ J calls attention to, and
emphasizes, the fact of his humanity. It is one of the miracles of the Qur'an that
in speaking of J«*sus it refutes both the Jewish and the Christian misconceptions
simultaneously and constantly uses a language that implies answers both to the
Christian deification and to the Jewish denunciation,

419. i.e., above the ridicule and vilification of his enemies, the Jews, £x: ^
literally is, 'worthy of regard/ The Qnr'an affirms the honour and glory of Jesus
(peace be on him 1) chiefly in answer to the calumnies of the Jews who remember
him "as the man who had chiefly brought dissension to Israel/ and as one who
'practised magic and deceived and led astray Israel/ with 'coarse allusions to His
birth/ (ERE. VII. p, 551). The few allusions to Him contained in the Talmud
and the contemporary literature are, for the the most part, contemptuous references
to one who deceived Israel, and who owed his birth to the unfaithfulness of his
mother; (Hastings, op. eit. 11. p. 877) even they before long have learnt to speak of
his person and character in terms of respect and appreciation. Witness recent books
on Jesus by Jewish writers.

420. (like all other prophets).

421. (unto God}, Notice the form of the words ,>.,jjuj[ H 'one of those.
brought nigh' ; one of the many. Not even in this respect was Jesus unique or
without parallel.

422. (and discom-se on serious subjects),

423. *.*., while yet he shall be mere boy. There would be no sense in
recording the fact if it meant nothing more than 'the ordinary experience of every
child who is not dumb/ A truism like that could hardly merit mention in theQur*afi,
Compare the GB r 'Jesus having come to the age of twelve years, went up with Mary
and Joseph to Jerusalem . , . The third Day they found the child in the temple, in
the midst of the doctors, disputing with them concerning the law. And every one
was amazed at his questions and answers, saying • How can there be such doctrine in
him, seeing he is so small and hath not learned to read/ (p. 15). And also the NT;

///, Surat-ul-'fmran

And when ho was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem . . . And it came to
pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of die
doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were
astonished at his understanding and answers/ (Lk, 2 : 42, 46, 4-7).

424. i< is *'of mature age," of any age between 30 and 50, and not
necessarily "old age." The mention of the infancy of Jesus and then of his maturity
emphasizes the obvious fact that he lived and grew like all human beings, there
being no meaning in a God- man or man-God 'growing.'

425. Note that Jesus (peace be on him !) in his great attributes is not spoken
of singly but as one of a company of good souls. H c is li of the righteous/' "of those
nigh/' that is to say that lie is one of the many chosen by God.

426. (by way of intercourse). 'Then said Mary unto the angle, How shall
this be, seeing I know not a man?' (Lk. 1 : 34} Mary is natutally amazed and
puzzled at the announcement of the birth of a son when she was a virgin. The story
is related in the GB, at greater length, (pp. 3 and 5),

427. (through an angel).

42C i.e., without the touch of a man; out of the ordinary course of

nature.

429. His will alone is sufficient to bring anything into being. He can create
anything out of His mere will. Ho h not bound in His creative activities by
His usual methods— the so-called f taws of nature'.

430. (whether attended or not with the circumstance generally associated
with it). This explains the nature of His 'willing/ Just as He creates things in

'stages and by intermediary causes, equally able is He to create them immediately,
directly, and without intermediary causes.

431. ie., the revealed Books in general.

432. All these topics are introduced, among other reasons, to ease the mind
of Mary, and to banish fears of censure that must, have troubled her when she knew
that she would conceive without a husband.

228 Part Iff

-we^ess

49 ' (<#&W£« ' • • *ro j) And a messenger"* to the Children of Israel 484
with this message, /surely I have come to you with a sign 436 from your Lord 13 *.
Surety I form for you 437 out of clay the likeness of a bird, and then I breath in it
and a bird 438 it becomes by Allan's leave 439 . And I heal the blind from birth 4 "
and the leper* 11 and revive the dead 442 by Allah's leave" 3 . And I declare to you
what you have eaten and what you have stored in your houses 444 . Surely in this 445
is a sign 440 for you if you be believers 447 .

50 - (u0*#bl ♦ ■ * Ui-o* ,) And I come confirming the Tawrgt that was
before me** 8 , and to allow to you 4 " some of what was forbidden to you 450 . And
I have come to you with a sign from your Lord 451 ; so fear Allah and obey me'"

61- {ftSJw** . - • *JU! ^t) Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so
worship Him*.*? this is the straight path. 4 * 4

52 - (^^Xu^ * . . Uj) Then when 'Isj perceived infidelity 4 " in them, 45 *
he said, 'who will be my helper unto Allah ? 447 The disciples 4 " said, 'we are
helpers of Allah, 4 " we believe in Allah, and bear thou witness 460 that surely we
are Muslims 4ei

433, (of God) which is a very different thing on the one hand from God
Himself, as misconceived by the Christians, and on the other from a criminal
wonder-worker as misjudged by the Jews.

434, (and not as a universal messenger). Witness his own words in the
NT, plain and conclusive ; 'Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city
of the Samaritans enter ye not : but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel/ (Mt. 10 : 5, 6) 'I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel/
(15 : 24). And modern Christian scholars have to acknowledge the reluctance of
Jesus and his earliest disciples to treat his message as universal in ways as round
about as their conscience would permit :— 'The earlier group of disciples, it is true,
did not appreciate the universality of the teaching of Jesus, (EBr. V. p. 632)* . . .
nor did He seek converts outside Israel' (p, 631).

435, i.e., a miracle; a credential of my prophelhood, Cf. the NT: We

OOQ

///, SUrat-uh'tmran

know that thou art a teacher come from God : for no man can do these miracles that
thou doeth, except God be with htm.' ( Jn, 3 : 2). 'When Christ cometh, will he do
more miracles than these which this man hath done/ (7; 31). A miracle is an
extraordinary occurrence which cannot be produced by any natural agency but only
by the direct will of God. It may be either above natural (ordinary law or contrary
to it or else independent of it. Once the existence i ' an Almighty God is granted,
there is no aptfari difficulty in blicvmg that He can perform whatever He wills in any
manner that pleases Him. The possibility of miracles can never be questioned by
a theist. A miracle is only an exercise of free-will on the part of the Creator and
Author of the life with all its laws— a mere fulfilment of His purpose in a way that
is novel to the onlookers.

436. (to generate conviction in you). It does sometimes happen that popular
mind is led to the acceptance of the Divine truths not by any rational arguments or
moral and spiritual evidences but only by the miraculous manifestations of the Divine
power at the hands of His approved servants.

437. *J& as the act of God signifies 'the bringing into existence from a
state of non-txistence,' but ordinarily it means: 'The act of measuring, or deter-
mining the measure, proportion, or the like, of a thing; and the making a thing by
measure, or according to the measure of another thing' .... This is the primary
meaning/ (LL) And the phrase means : 'I will form for you, or I will make
according to its proper measure for you, and will form, of clay, a thing like the
form of the bird ; or of birds' (ifr).

438. *.*., a real live bird, 'He also made figures of birds which could fly'

(Budge, op> cit. p. XXIX).

439. Note the emphasis on the fact that it is God, not he who makes the

thing alive*

440. Cf. Mt. 9 1 27-30 ; Mk. 8 : 22-25 ; Jn. 9 i 1-7.

441. Cf. Mt. 8: 3; Lk, 17: 14. c The healing ministry, judged by critical
tests, stands on as firm historical ground as the best accredited parts of the
teaching/ (EB5, G. 2445). 'Jesus weaned Himself with the healing of man's
physical ailments, and He was remembered as the great physician* Early Christian
literature is filled with medical terms, applied, it is true, for the greater part to the
cure of souls,' (EBr. V. p. 634).

442. Cf Mt. 9 : 18, 19, 23-25 ; Lk, 7 j 12- 15 ; Jn. 11:11 -44. The Evagelists
report an extension of His power beyond cases of a physical or psychophysical
nature, to include the curing of fever, paralysis, leprosy, blind liness. dead-mutism
and even the rising of the dead as having characterized His ministry (EBr- XI I L
p* 17). *Jesus having come to the sepulchre, where every one was weeping, said:
"Weep not, for Lazarus sleepcth, and I am come to awake him." , . . Said Martha,
"Lord he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days." . . . Then Jesus lifted up his
hands to heaven, and said : "Lord God of Abraham, God of Ismael and Isaac, God

2 3Q Part III

of our father, have mercy upon the affliction of these women, and give glory to thy
holy name." And when every one had answered "Amen, " Jesus said with a loud
voice: "Lazarus, come forth/' Whereupon ho that was dead arose.' (GB.
pp. 431, 437).

443. See ft. 439 above.

444. This is only by way of illustration, meaning, 'I can tell you your most
secret affairs/ 'It was not as the teacher of the new religious principles nor as a
new lawgiver, hut as a wonder-worker that Jesus won fame and influence among the
simple inhabitants of Galilee in his life-time. ' { JE. VIL p. 167),

445. /.*., in all these 'wonders' and freaks of nature. Cf. a hostile witness
Josephus, an eminent Jew, who lived in a generation only next to that of Jesus' :
'Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man,
for he was a doer of wonderful works/ ("Ant", 18 : 3 :3). So it was pre-eminently
in the character of a 'wonder-worker 1 that Jesus was known to those around him.

416. (of my prophcthood ; of my being aided by God).

447, t,e., if you are disposed to believe at all.

448, «I am not come to destroy but to fulfil.' (Mt, 5: J 7, 18). 'And it is
easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail/ (LK, 16; 17)
'Not only does Jesus Himself quote from the OT frequently but m his own language
the modes of speech of the OT are recalled/ (DB. V. p, 332).

449, (by the command of God),

450, (in the code of Moses), Annulment in part of the law of Moses (on
him be peace !) is not at all incompatible with confirmation of it in general Cf. the
NT: 'Gome unto me, all ye that labour and arc heavy laden and I will give you rest*
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and
Ve shall find rest unto your souls, tfor my yoke is easy, and my burden is light/
(Mt. 11 : 28-30).

45 L i.e., I have brought you sign after sign; my claim is supported with
powerful arguments and convincing miracles. See n. 435 ff. above.

452, (in that to which I invite you).

453, (only). This, the worship of One and Only God, is the true message
of Jesus, the gist of his real teaching. Absolute Unity, and pure God-worship; no
'trinity,' no 'incarnation,* no 'son- worship', no 'mother-worship.' Cf the NT:
*Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only thou shalt serve/ (Ml 4: 10)
And GB:— 'I confess thee one God alone that hast not had beginning nor shalt
ever have end; for by thy mercy gavest thou to all things their beginning, and by
thy justice thou shalt give to all an end ; that hast no likeness among men, because
in thine infinite goodness thou art not subject to motion nor to any accident. Have
mercy on us, for thou hast created us, and we are the works of thy hand/ (p. 195)
Also see P. VI. n. 526,

454, 'There is no indication that He ever acted independently of God, or as

///. SUrot-ut-'fmran

231

an independent God. Rather does He acknowledge his dependence upon God, by
His habit of prayer and in such words as "this kind goeth not forth save by prayer*"
He even repudiated the ascription to himself of goodness in the absolute sense in

which it belongs to God alone/ (EBi XIII. p. 24) There is nothing in

these three Gospels to suggest that their writers thought of Jesus as other than
human, a human being specially endued with spirit of God and standing in an
unbroken relation to God which justified His being spoken of as the "Son of God."
p. 18}

455. (and also persecution)

456. i. <*,, on the part of the Jews*

457. i. <?., for the cause of God.

458. i.e., the adherents of Jesus. **!*&. ' s ' one wn0 whitens cloths, or
garments, by washing and beating them. Hence its plurol .^1^ is applied to the
companions, i. a, t apostles and disciples of Jesus, because their trade was to do this.
(LL)

459. i. e, t helpers in (he cause of God : in the cause of His religion.

460. (O Prophet of God ! both in this world and on the Day of Judgment
when the prophets shall testify for or against their peoples)

461. Literally, *we have surrendered ourselves." 'The faith of the Musalman
is concentrated in a single word Islam : devotion, resignation of our own will to the
supreme decree. That word was not limited by Muhammad to his own followers:
it was used ungrudgingly for his Judaic Christian predecessors. There is no fitter
word for the religion of the human race." (Dr. J. H. Bridges)

232 p an fit

'^— , — , aJ&t

435 $&& fajg& $ 's iri;a$f£&6 ft £?; !#s;<a &*M£

^^^ic^i^c^a^ei^t ^'^^^^^>^i

'itv^S

'IK "a fft

5 ^ r Lp^ttftAJf * • ■ Uyj) 0ur Lord 1 w & believe in what Thou hast sent
down"* and we follow the messenger: write us up therefore with the witnesses/* 3
... 54. (^a^jl . . . |,yc* 3 ) And they 144 plotted, 46 * and Allah plotted 40 * and
Allah is the Best of plotters. 46 *

SECTION 6

65, (^jjuUstf , i ; Jtf 61) Re-caff when AJIah said, 4 * 9 'Isa surely I
shall make thee die 461 ' and am lifting thee 170 to Me, 471 and am cleansing thee from
those who disbelieve, 472 and shall place those who follow the© 473 above 4 " 4 those
who deny* 7 * thee till the Day of Resurrection ; 41 * then to Me shall be the return
of you a//; 477 then I shall decide between you 17 * concerning that in which you
have been differing.

56. i^jyaj • i ■ ^.iJfUU) Then 478 as for those who disbelieved, I shall
torment them 490 with a severe torment in this world 481 and the Hereafter, nor shall
they have any helpers,

57. (^j^JjaJl , . . Ulj) And as for those who believed and worked righ-
teous works He shall repay them their wages, m full, and Allah loves not the
ungodly. 4 "

58. (pjjCsOl . . . tJJte) This 483 We recite unto thee 49 ' of the signs 486
and 4S$ of the wise admonition. 487

462. (upon the apostle of our day)

463. (to Thy unity and to the truth of Thy prophet)

464. 1. e. } the disbelieving Jews ; the oppressors and persecutors of Jesus.

465. (to put him to death; to crucify him)

466. (to save him ; to frustrate his enemies* plots)

467. (to His plan succeeded, the Jews being unable to detect it even).
Somebody else, who resembled Jesus to an extraordinary degree, was crucified in
his place, and Jesus escaped death at their hands altogether. .

468. (to Jesus by way of consolation on the eve of his arrest and trial, when
he was naturally a little perturbed)

///. SBrat-ul-'tmraii 233

'169, (a natural death at thy appointed hour, so these persecutors arc
powerless to do thru any harm). The original sense of i^v ; i s «j perform a
promise', *to fulfil a covenant* and Ho give mil measure*. So the meaning may
also be, *I will fulfil thy span of life*, or «I will achieve the whole of thy term/

470, (in the meantime bodily). *A similar conception was promulgated by
the earliest gnostics, Corinth us, Basiiides, Carpo dates and others', (Earnest
De Busen, Islam, or True Christianity,, p. 143, fn.) See P, VI. n. 38.

471, i. e. t to the place of My glory; to the Higher Region.

472, (in thy prophethood) i. t. t clear thee from their false charges and
unworthy accusations.

473, i, *., those who believe in the truth of thy mission.

474, (in arms, or in arguments, or in both)

475, (m thy prophethood]

' 76, The meaning is ; thy friends shall always prevail over thy foes by
arguinr- t and by the sword.

''?). i\ *,, of Jesus, his followers and his detractors.

4 8. (finally and in a practical, demonstrable way)

47 ..J. This verse and the next explain the Divine Judgment alluded to in
the verse 55.

480. i. e,, the slanderers of Jesus.

481. The terrible plight of the Jews in Germany and elsewhere is only a
matter of recent past.

482. i, (,, the Jews and the Christians both, as both have transgressed the
proper limits in the matter of Jesus — the former by slandering him, the latter by
their deification of him.

483. (true story of Jesus and of things connected therewith)

484. (O Prophet!)

485. (of the truth of thy mission)

486. {in itself)

487. i. e. t stories like these serve at once to substantiate thy mission, since
nothing save Divine revelation can make them known to thee, and they arc wise
admonitions in themselves.

234 Part II!

59< f „Xjl* . \ 1 Surely the likeness of 'lain* 8 * with Allah is as the

likeness of Adam ; 4M him He created out cf dust ; then He said to htm, 'Be,
and he became." 190

60. f^j ? s**U . . . ss.«j!) 77*/$ & the Truth from thy Lord, so be thou not
of the doubters/ 01

61. (.^jjxil >r .i) So those who contend*' 2 with thee therein**' 3 after
what has come to thee of the knowledge 4 "— say thou, 4 " 6 J come ! let us 4 " 6 call
our children and your children 487 and our women and your women 49 * and our-
selves and yourselves, then let us humbly pray,"" and invoke the curse of Allah
upon, the liars.'**

62. (*£jfcsaJl . . . J) Surely this SM is the true recital ; and God there is
none save Allah, 60 ' and surely Allah it is who is Mighty, 503 , Wise. 6 * 4

63. ( ^jpjtaNJU&j i , . 1 i) But if they turn away/ M Allah is the Knower of
the corrupters, 60 *'

SECTION 7

64. ( ..*j~M ... Li} Say thou/ 07 O people of the Book t come to a
word common to us 609 and you, 60 * that we shall worship none save Allah,"® and
that we shall not join aught 611 with Him, and {hat none of us shall take others* 18
as Lords beside Allah ; 5IS then if they turn away/ 14 say CJS thou, 'bear witness that
we are Muslims"/ 10

488. (in being without a father, and in being a mere man)

489, (who was created without a father and a mother). This is the point
of comparison and resemblance. Jeans' wonderful nature is like that of Adam, He
is not 'consubstanlial with God/ He is as much a created being as Adam. Divinity
of Jesus has been denied by some ancient Christian sects themselves. 'Alius taught
that the Son of God was a created being. There was a time when He did not
exist.* (EBr. II. p. 598) Paul of Samosata also held that "Jesus Christ/* begotten
of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin, was a mere man. But "the man" was

///. Surat-uf-'lmran 235

anointed by the Holy Ghost and for that reason was called Christ Though

the Logos was in Christ, it did not invest him with divinity. 1 ' (EBR XL p. 171)

490. (si in f tar is the nature of Jesus; where, then, is the occasion to ascribe
Eternity or Divinity to him ?)

491. (O reader !) Human documents may lie ; not so the divine Revelation ►
So there is no room here for any doubt at alt.

492. (O Prophet!)

493. I. e.> concerning Jesus. The reference is to the Christians.

494. The knowledge that is absolutely true, certain and Revealed.

495. (unto them, now that they have proved unamenable to reason and
argument).

496. j. #,, both of us ; each of the two parties.

497. 'Sons,* in both instances, includes grandsons and sons-in-law.

498. 4 Worn-en* in both instances, includestee daughters and wives.

499. The passage was revealed on the occasion of a visit from some
Christians of Najran to the holy Prophet in the 1 0th year of Hijrah. See n, 206
above. They had full discussion with him on their 'Christology/ The Islamic
doctrine about Jesus was explained and his Divinity refuted ; all to no purposes.
Then the holy Proptiet took the only course that was open for an intensely religious
man in the circumstances to take. lie invited them to come to a decision by
earnestly invoking the curse of God on the party that still clung to falsehood, and
came out himself with his beloved daughter, Fatima, her husband, *Ali, and their
two sons. Thereupon the courage of the Christians failed them. They dared not
risk their lives by invoking Divine curse on the liar. They submitted to pay tribute
to the Islamic government and to live peaceably under it,

500. [ We cannot but see throughout the earnestness of Muhammad's belief,
and his conviction that a spiritual illumination had been vouchsafed to him, bringing
with it knowledge and certainty where to the Christians, as he conceived, all was
speculation and conjecture.* (Muir, op. cit. p. 460) A curse, in this sense, is not
only a righteous wish that retribution my immediately visit the guilty but also an
earnest appeal to God to execute it. It is essentially a prayer, leaving the justice of
the wish to the decision of the All-Just and Alt-Highest, When uttered after all
methods of persuation and argument have failed it indicates on the part of the
invokcr the passion of righteous indignation in its highest and noblest form, and is
perhaps the strongest possible spiritual weapon in the hands of a wronged and
oppressed party*

501. i. #., the account of Jesus and his mother just given, and the fact that
they were nothing more than mere mortals. Another instance of the emphatic
repudiation of the Christian trinity.

502. t, €,, there is none to share His person as there is none to share His
nature.

236 Part Hi

503. i. e. % All-powerful, which a mortal, Jesus, was not.

504. i. t., A 11- knowing, which a mortal, Jesus, was not.

505. (even, after these exhortations and arguments)

506. (and He is sufficient to deal with them according to their deserts).
'The substantive, "the corrupters/ is used instead of the pronoun, 'them* in order

■ to show that lo reject the evidences and to repudiate the doctrine of Monotheism
constitute corruption of religion and faith. ' (Bdh)

507. (O Prophet!)

508. i. e., the Muslims.

509i i. e, t wherein there is no variance between various apostles.

510. (arid shall worship neither ^Logos' nor 'Incarnations' nor yet any
'saints') Cf. the NT: — 'Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt
thou serve. 1 (Mr, i\ 10}

511. (such as the Saints and 'the Holy Relics"'). 'In the long period of

twelve hundred years the worship of saints and relics corrupted the pure

and perfect simplicity of the Christian model/ (GRE., III. pp. 209-210)

512. (such as the Pope,, the Church and the Father). Compare and
contrast the tenets of orthodox Christianity: — 'The church of Christ is the fellow-
ship of all those who accept and profess all the articles transmitted by the Apostles
and approved by General Synods, Without this visible Church there is no salvation- It
is under the abiding influence of the Holy Ghost, and therefore cannot err in the
matters of faith/ (EBr, XVI. pp. 939-940)

513. This formula of the Sole-ncss of God and of the rejection of all major
and minor deities beside Him> the basic principle of Islam, as it is, has ever been
the common doctrine of all the faiths in their origin. The Jews and the Christians
had abandoned, in practice as well as in theory, this simple truth for man-made
dogmas of later growth.

514. (and rejeel the doctrine of monotheism)

515. (O Muslims")

516. ». ft.j declare that we rather than you are Muslims. — the upholders of
the true doctrine of God. 'In spite of the rich development, in every sense of the
term, of the teachings of the Prophet, the Qyr'an has invariably kept its place as the
fundamental sLar ting-point, and the dogma of the unity of God has always been
proclaimed therein with a grandeur, a majesty, an invariable purity and with a note
of sure conviction, which it is hard to find surpassed outside the pale of Islam/
(Monte t quoted in Arnold's Preaching of Islam, p. 414)

Ill SQrat-ut-'Imrart

liSva

65, ( ,.JLa*5 . . . JjsIj) ° people of the Book ! why do you contend re-
garding Ibrahim 617 whereas the TawrSt and I nj II were not sent down save after
him? 618 Will you not then understand?

66, (,», T #JUS . . . *xJU) Ah [*" it is you who fell to contending that of
which you had some knowledge ;**> why then should you contend regarding
that of which you have no knowledge at all .■ ? *- 1 And Allah knows and you do not
know l 5 * 2

67, (j^jjuJl • . - JZ U) ibrahfm was not a Jew r nor a Christian, but
he was an upright Muslim ; csa nor was he of the polyt heists/-' 1

68, ( . jJUf*.H . * * J) Surely the nearest of mankind to Ibrahim*** are
those who followed him/** and this prophet 6 - 7 and those who believe/ 2 * And
Allah, is the Patron of the believers. 6 - 8,

69, ( .j*&j • . « «u* ) A section of the people of the Book yearns to
mislead you/ 3 * and none they mislead but themselves, and they perceive not. 1 ' 11

70, ( .jjJs-sj . - ■ Ub) people of the Book I why do you deny the
revelations of Allah/' 32 while you are witnesses thereof P 33

517. (each sect, maintaining that he belonged to their faith)

518. i. e. Judaism and Christianity were instituted only after the revelation
of the Torah and the Injil to Moses and Jesus respectively, while Abraham lived
centuries and centuries before the two; how then could he be either a Jew or a
Chris dan j, in the accepted sense of these terms ?

519. {■„ is a particle for calling attention.

520. i. e. y respecting matters mentioned in the Torah and the Injil.

52 1 . i. e., respecting matters which are not recorded in your books, such as
the religion of Abraham.

522. The doctrine that the Holy Qur'an propounded is 'that to every people
a prophet had been sent, so that a grand catholic faith had pervaded all ages and
revelations j— a faith which, in its purest form, had been held by the patriarch

238 ___ Part Hi

Abraham .... This grand fact it. was now the mission or Mohammad to reaffirm.
Each successive dispensation had been abused by its votaries, who in the course of
time had turned aside from its catholic grand work,-' (Muir. op. cit. pp. 151-152),

523. See P, I, nn. 617, 6[fi,6|9,

524. 'lie was die first who had the courage to proclaim God as the sole
Creator of the universe, to whose will all heavenly bodies are subject,* (JK I. 85)

525. {in point of faith)

526. (in this day)

527. t, t„ the Prophet of Islam,

528. t, *., the Muslims, since they have the same essentials of religion. 'The
frue heir of Jewish thought/ observes a Christian historian of recent times, 'is
Islamism, the modern religion of the Semitic race. By depriving Christianity of its
Greek dements, by setting aside the idea of the incarnation of the Divine in huma-
nity, which spanned the gnlf between Cod and man, Mohammad restored Semitic
monotheism to its pristine severity/ (HHVV. II. p. 171)

529. i. *., Ho helps thorn and gives them good recompense for their faith,

530. (O Muslims!) Not content with their own corruption, some of the
Jews had the further ambition of seducing the Muslims.

531. (that their misleading shall rebound upon themselves)

532. (proving the mission of Muhammad, by distorting and manipulating
those texts)

533. (to those texts being the revelations of God)

///. Sdrat-ut-'frnr'an

71 ■ f, i*JU3 * • • UU>) people of the Book ! why do you clothe the
ith falsehood, **■ and hide the truth 535 while you know ft. 636

71
truth with falsehood,

SECTION 8

72. ( tJ yti.jj » * . l^JU 4 ) Arid a section of the people of the Book says,*"
'believe at day-break in what has been sent down to those who believe 63 * and
deny at day-end* 39 ; perhaps they* 40 may turn away." 1

73, (f^JU . 4 ., 5 *) And 'believe not save one who follows your religion'.
Say thou, M1 A 'surely the true guidance 61 ' 2 is the guidance of Allah. 61 * Do you
envy* u that any one 646 should be given the like of what was given to you ; M * or
do you fenr, ul that those others*** might overcome you in arjumem before your
Lord ? 5 * 9 Say thou, 600 'surely the grace 5 * 1 is in the hand of Allah. He bestows
it on whom He will and Allah is Bountiful/ 52 Knowing 6B3

. "74. (jwJutH . . . v±^.») He singles out for His mercy whom He will, 65 ' 1
and Allah is the Owner of Mighty grace.* 55

534. (by mutilating the truth). Sec P. I. n. 183.

535. *. *., the mission of Muhammad, and the description of him.
53b". i.e., arc cognizant of what, you conceal. See P. J. mi. 184, 185.

537. (among thorn selves). The allusion is to lh« Jews of Khaibar.

538, i, e. j aflVcl to believe in the Qur'Sn.

533, i. c., renounce your belief in it in the evening. Instances of such
mendacious conduct are not unknown to Jewish history. Even so laic as during the
twelfth century of the Christian era certain Jews of Spain left their homes, but
^others agreed to pronounce the formula of Muslim Greed, while secretly combining
the observance of their own religion*. (JE. J. 432-433)

5-jO. i. e. t the Muslims.

541. (from Islam by this stratagem). Some of the Jews, true to their
traditions of perfidy, counselled among themselves that in the morning they should
display their belief in the Qjir'an, and in the evening should renounce it openly,

240 P ort m

thereby creating an impression in the minds of (he Muslims themselves that there
must be after all some flaw in the religion of the Qur'&n, or else the Jews, so learned
m religions lore, would not have gone back. Modern European biographers of the
Prophet, with huge pretensions to learning and impartiality, who begin by admiring
his earnestness, his sincerity of purpose and the depth of his conviction, and end by
denouncing him as a deluded visionary and a false prophet, are almost playing the
same old game with modern variants.
541 A. {O Prophet !)

542. (and not your concoctions)

543. {such tricks therefore would not avail anything). They who receive
guidance, receive it from God ; none is able to mislead them. He guides whom He
will to the right faith and establishes him therein.

544. (O Children of Israel I)

545. (other than you) i. e, t who is not of your race or tribe.
54G. j. e< 3 the gift of prophecy; Divine revelation.

547. (O Jews I)

548. i. *., the Arabs ; the children of Isma % who formed the first Muslim
community.

549. (and hence your frenzied and frantic envious attacks on those doctrines)

550. (to the Jews, O Prophet I)
55 L i, t. t the gift of prophethood,

552. L *., unstinting in the conferment of His grace, He can bestow the
gift of His prophecy on anyone.

555. i, c, knowing well when ar,d on 'whom to confer His grace. He makes
the recipient of His grace only him who is fitted to receive it.

554. (so nil these envious antics are fruitless)

555, j. e., there is no dearth of grace and mercy on His part. He can
exalt any people, and raise any person He likes.

///. SOrat-fit-'Imrtn

ri^ji'

■frM

75 f I,. ,, \ And among the people of the Book is he who, if

thttu™ trustest him with a treasure, 657 will return it to thee;" 8 and among them
is he who, if thou trustest him with a dinarius, Mt will not restore it to thee, except
thou art ever standing over him.* M This 5 " is because they say, 5 ** J there is no
way over us M * in the matter of the illiterates. * M And they forge a lie against
Allah" 6 while they know. M *

76. ( ^SiUS * * • b) Aye! whoso keeps the covenant 6 * 7 and fears
Allah, then surely Allah loves the God-f earing. 5 «*

77. ( xJU . . wioJ^ \) Surely those who sell Allah's covenant 5 ** and their
oaths 6 ' at a small price, 571 no portion is theirs in the Hereafter; nor shall Allah
speak to them nor look at them* 7 * on the Day of Resurrection, nor shall He
purify them, 673 and theirs shall be a torment afflictive.

78. („, j*.Uj .-. J •) And surely among them 5 " are some who pervert
the Book with their tongues, 676 that you might consider it fi7fl of the Book yet it is
no part of the Book. And they say, 'it is from God', whereas it is not from
Allah, and they forge a lie against Allah, 677 while they know. 678

556, (O reader I)

557, .(jail is *A large unknown quantity, or aggregate, or property; or

much property heaped up ; or four thousand deenars.' (LL)

550, A beautiful way of saying that even among the Jews are some whose
honesty and integrity cannot be impugned. Such God-fearing Jews eventually

embraced Islam.

559. Denarius was a well-known coin in later Roman currency , which the
Arabs must have used in the early days of Islam. At first they (Arabs) issued gold
and bronze pieces imitated from contemporary Byzantine coins (EBr. XVI, p. 630).
Dinar is still a unit of currency in Yogoslavia.

56.0 (Vigorously demanding it of him by litigation appeals and production
of evidence). A faithful picture of the Jew's proverbial love of gold,

561, L t. t the refusal to pay.

_ 2 j 2 Part fit

562. (in justification of this attitude of theirs)

563, i. e, t there is no reproach attaching to us in the matter of those who are
not of our race and faith; we owe no duty to them. This sums up the attitude of
the Jew to the Gentile, 'Israel's attitude towards other nations , never marked by
much cordiality underwent most important modifications in the post-exilic period.
The reformation of Ezra deliberately aimed at fostering that spirit of cxdusiveness
Which gave so much offence to the Gentile world, and which lent not a little colour
to the charge of Tacitus and others, that the Jews were enemies of the. human race/
(DB. IL p + 149)

564. t, e. t these ignorant pagans of Arabia. Of the origin and meaning of
the word ^J says a modem Jew:— "Jt was not coined by Mohammad, but was
taken over by him from the speech which he heard. It designated any and all who
were not of the Israelite race , . . Elsewhere, it means precisely "Gentile," (Torrey,
op. tk. p. 38) See n, 299 above.

565. (by promulgating a false religious principle)

566. (that they are e rtunciating a false doctrine)

567. (whether that covenant be with God or with his fellow-creatures) i. c.',
whoever keeps his pledge and fulfils his engagement.

568. Fear of God thus ought to be the mainspring of our conduct. Thai
alone can lead us to a life of all-round righteousness and virtue.

569. i. g, t the covenant they have with God of obeying Him.

570. {in the matter between man and man)

571. I. *., for immediate worldly gain.

572. (with grace and mercy)

573. (from moral filth and spiritual impurity)

574. i. *. ? the Jews.

575. _y is primarily twisting, and secondarily perverting, mutilating, forging
and lying about the texts, and covers all forms of distortion and fabrication.

576. *. e. t the fabricated part,

573. (by ascribing to Him certain words or their purport)
578, (that they are fabricating). Their handiwork is deliberate and of
purpose)

5*43

///, SUrat-u/'fmran \_

r <■■'>; jj , , — . ■ ■ ' 1

1 1

.,&* ^(iw^^K Sgjfrl <&3»<

79. ( - m isSJ » , . . ,,K U) ^ is not possible for a man to whom Allah has
given the Book and wisdom and prophet hood 57 '-' that he should afterwards say to
men, 'be you worshippers of me, beside Allah';* 8 * but*" 'be you faithful
servants of the Lord,** 3 seeing that you are wont to teach the Book 6 " 3 and seeing
that yOu are wont to exercise yourselves therein'.™*

80. j + ,Uv* * • 3 ) Arld heBM would not bid you to toko the angels and
the prophets^or Lords. 566 Would he bid you to infidelity**'" after you have

become Muslims? 58 *

SECTION 9

81. (^J^Ali * . . o^t 3J j) Anc * re-catf when*** Allah took a bond from
the prophets,***" 'whatever of the Book and wisdom * &1 I gave you and afterwards
there comes to you a messenger 502 confirming what is with you,** you shall
surely believe in him r,!M and help him."**" Allah said, 'do you affirm, and do you
take My burden thereto' ? 6Hr> They said, 'we affirm'. He said, Then bear witness, 597
and I am with you among the witnesses'. *' J *

82. ( jLJifi . , 4 yj) Now whoso*'"* turns away thereafter, 800 it is they
who are the ungodly.

579. (such as He gave to the man Jesus).

530. Alt this is said to confute and contradict the trinitarian Christians.
Jesus (on him be peace !) as a"prophet, could never have taught people to worship
him or to make him as co-equal with God in any sense of the word. An apostle of
God invites people to follow him to the obedience of God, and surely not to deify
himself,

58 L (he would say),

582. Or 'divines/ or 'worshippers of the Lord/

583. (O Christians!)

584. These are additional reasons for the Chris dans believing in the Unity
of God and for their negativing the 'divinity' of Jesus, The advantage of studying
and teaching the Scripture is plainly to arrive at the truth.

585. i. e,, the person endowed with die prophetic office and wisdom.

244
— P«t H I

586, To expatiate on the Christian worship of a prophet of God would be
to underline the obvious ; but Christian angelolatory is not perhaps so widely known.
It may be well, therefore, to call attention to the fact that 'a certain tendency to
angel-worship manifested itself * in the very early Christian Church ; in the 4th
century a Council of Laodica found 'it necessary to forbid the angel- worship then
prevalent in the country . . « In the next century we find Theodoret referring to this
prohibition as necessitated by the spread of this worship through Phrjrgia and Pisidia/
(DCA, II. p. 1176). Some of the 'Apostolic Fathers 3 and 'the Ape. legists-' of the
early centuries held and taught that <God committed the care of men and all things
under heaven to angels whom He set over these/ (ERE, IV. p. 578) s and that to
the six holy angels 'the Lord delivered all His creation, to increase and to build it
and to be members of all creation' (&). And it was openly averred that along with
the Father and the Son 'good angels' also were to be worshipped and adored. 'Both
Him and the Son who came forth from Him and taught us true things, and the best
of the other good angels, who follow and arc made like unto Rim, and the prophetic
spirit we worship and adore/ (■*) Also that 'God has the general providence of the
whole ; particular parts are assigned to angels/ {&) The Second Council of Nicea,
in 737 A.D., went so far as to sanction the custom of depicting angels and venerat-
ing their images. *By the action of this Council it would appear that the cults of
the angels, which had originated before the beginning of the period under considera-
tion a 3 a private devotion, and had met with considerable opposition from various
ecclesiastical writers, formally received the sanction of the Church, and may hence-
forward be regarded as part of the doctrine pttblkaJ (p. 581)

587. (by asking you to believe in the divinity of apostles and angels).

588. (and have perfectly believed in His Unity),
509. (prior to the creation of the earth).

peoples 590 * *'" **' fr ° m thdr St>U * S ' The Pkdge WaS StiH more bindfn S on their

591. I *,, knowledge of Divine Law. ^^^^ is also 'The gift of prophecy,

or the prophetic office ; and aposlleship/ (LL)

592, i. e. t any other apostle.

Script™)." ^ ^^ "> ** ****** of him you have in a previous

594. (with heart and soul).

595 . (with words and deeds).

596. Or 'to that, effect/

597. A witness is less likely to go back upon his word than an interested

party.

598.

prophets,
600.

t. A, I too am witness to your consenting. Words stressing confirmation.
599,. (of the people). The reference is to the peoples addressed by their

r. *., after the covenant so solemnly entered into and its ratification.

///, SDrat-ul-'Imran

245

-saafcjj , 'J=k$k

'< "'» '* ^. ,'f^^'-^* ,.< » ^ £ ill'' i* ** < jf^.^fv • 1 K.<1l'' •''-L"'^ ^ '.

83, ( .,*i.w . , - j**i1 ) Do they 9 * 1 seek other than the religion of Allah?** 51
Yet to Him has submitted whoso is In the heavens and in the earth, willingly or
unwillingly,"* 3 and to Him shall they aft be returned.* 04

84. ( ju* - * - l?) Sa V thou,*** 'we believe in Allah and in what has
been sent down to us f and what was sent down to Ibrahim and IsmS'lL and
IshSq and Y'Squb and the tribes/** and what was given to Muss" and 'IsS and
other prophets from their Lord : we discriminate against none of them, 607 and to
Him we are submissive.** 8

85- ( H ^id) . . . ,j,*j) And whoso seeks a religion other than Islam/*"
it shall not be* accepted of him* 10 and in the Hereafter he shall be of the lost.*"

86. ( ,^JL!ASf , . . U>J) How will Allah guide 8 people who disbelieved 6 * 2
after their beiiefand after they bore witness that the messenger was true and after
evidences 613 had come to them. And Allah guides not an ungodly people.*"

601. i\ e. t the intideis.

602. Note that Islam is here made, synonymous with God's own religion.

See n, 291 above.

603. All things in nature, whether the heavenly ones or the earthly, bow
down to His decrees and have perforce to submit to His physical laws — so Exalted
is He ! His religion alone is worthy of acceptance.

604. (when everyone shall be dealt with according to his deserts). An
additional reason for submitting to His commands.

605. (on behalf of the Muslims, O Prophet t).

606. 1. e., the prophets among them.

607* (so far as the fact of their apostleship is concerned, by accepting some
and rejecting others)* 'The essence of Mohamedani&m/ says a Christian student of
the Qur'an and Islam, 'is its assertion ofunUy of God, as opposed to polytheism—
and nothing new; it was, as Mohammad said of it, the ancient faith of Abraham,
and it was upon that faith that the greatness of the Jewish nation was founded ; nay,
it was the truth which Christ himself made more fully known and understood."
(Palmar, The Qtiran, Intro, p, L).

608. (as Muslims), Sec P. I. it, 626,

246 p an hi

609. 'There is no fitter word for the religion of the human race. If there is
any one word in the Western languages which can translate it fully, it is the word
religion itself; and that word needs interpretation for ears untrained in Latin
speech. 1 (Dr, J, II. Bridges) *lslam is among the simplest of all the revealed
religions, its simplicity is attractive and appealing alike to the man in the street and
to the philosopher in the closet. Goethe fell into raptures over the Kuran and
Gibbon found in it a glorious testimony to the unity of God. Belief in One God
and belief in Mohammed as the prophet of God— such is the quintessence of the
Islamic faith/ (BK. IV. p. 2282), See also n. 291 above.

610, This repudiates the comfortable doctrine that all religions are equally
good, and that different 'paths' adopted by different nations and different grades of
society converge to the same Divinity. There is only out straight lint possible between
a try two points. Even so there is only one true, perfect and sound religion. AH
other religions are but so many deviations. See nn. 291, 602 above*

61 1, *Thts verse contradicts the idea, prevalent in our day among some-
Muslims , that the choice of religion is a matter of individual preference, and that
every unitarian religion is equally good . + . . , The Quran says ; > , . , the path of
Islam is the only right path , . . < Salvation, according to the tenets of Islam, can
be obtained only by him who recognises the Oneness of God and the Prophethood
of Muhammed (which implies the recognition of the former prophets) and does
good works/ (ASB. p. 51).

612. i. <s,, turned back on it; apostatized.

613. (Of the truth of Islam).

6i4. i, e>, who do sheer injustice to their ownselvcs. He does not guide them
who wilfully reject His guidance and substitute un faith for faith.

//. SBr*t-u-I'fmrMn 2 * 7

^Ui 1

87. ( ***&.! . . • uiiJj) Thie y are those whose meed is that on them
shall be the curse of Allah and of angels and of mankind, all; 618 —

88. ( jjjb . . . ^^sU.) Abiders therein,*" their torment shall not be
lightened nor shall they be respited -

89. (^j ., , ^ijJT»5) Save such as shall repent thereafter" 7 and
make amends ;' ei3 verily Allah is Forgiving,* 19 Merciful.""

90. ( , jjujl . . . ^kJi .]) Surely those who disbelieve after they have
believed and thereafter wax in infidelity, their repentance* 21 shall by no means be
accepted,"" It is those who are astray. * sa

91 f . -.ii \\ Surety those who disbelieve and die while

they are infidels, not an earthful of gold shall be accepted from any such/ 24 were
he to offer it as a ransom.* 15 It is they whose shall be a torment afflictive ; nor
shall they have any helpers.

615. See p. II, nn. 100, 105.
6L6. :'. e, } in that curse,

617. i. e<> after apostasy, and make good the harm they have done.

618. Penitence must come from heart, and not be merely verbal.

616. (so He will accept their repentance).
620 r (so He will be gracious to them).

621. (from other sins)*

622. (because they do not repent of the root cause of all their sins— their
unbelief). Unacceptable is the repentance of those who persist in their apostasy,
and merely repent from what they fancy to he their wrong conduct.

623. (and they shall remain unredeemed in spite of their repentnace of
other sins)*

624. (in the Hereafter).

625. It may also mean : from none such shall be accepted an earthful of
gold, though he were to give it in alms in this world, and though he were to
ransom himself therewith from punishment in the Next.

248 Part IV

PART IV

SECTION 10

92. (*£lc * . . iJtJj ,j) You can not attain virtue 1 unless you spend of
what you love 2 and whatever you spend 3 Allah is the Knower* thereof.

93. (^Sfc* . . . AS) Alt food 6 was allowable to the Children of Israel,'
save what Israel 7 had forbidden for himself,* before the Tawrat was revealed.*
Say thou/ 'bring you then the Tawrat and read it, tf you are truthful'. 11

94. L.jJiMl . , . .v*j) Tnert ne wn0 fabricates a lie after this" against
Allah, 18 — it is those who are the ungodly.

95. ( ..jJj^Jl . , . Jj) Say thou,* 4 'Allah has spoken the truth ;* s follow
therefore the faith of Ibrahim the upright, 16 and he was not of the polytheists.

96. (..jxJUJj . . . j) Verify the first House 17 set apart for mankind 1 * was
that at Bakka, 19 blest* and a guidance to the worlds, 51

1. {O Muslims!) i. e., to perfect good; to the acme of piety,
2., (and cherish) L e, t all that you hold dear and near to your heart. The
term covers the spending of one's wealth and the sacrificing of one's dignity in the
service of God's creatures as well as the shedding of one's blood in tne service of
God, . With supreme trust in Him it appears sometimes unspeakably mean to retain
one's hold of the most valued of personal possessions.

3. — whether that be an object of special love to you or not —

4. (and He shall reward accordingly). The point is that there is a recom-
pense for every act of charity, big or small, but the highest reward is for those wno
spend in His service what they love most.

5. (allowed in the code of Islam)*

6. 'Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you ; even as the green
herb have I given you all things/ (Gc. 9 ; 3).

///, SUrBt-uh'lmran 24 ~

7. 1. 1. 9 tlae Prophet Jacob {on him be peace) t

8. (such as milk and flesh of the camel, for some special, medical reason).
.9. (forbidding certain foods to the Jews). For ffwdl see P. HI, n, 214,

10. (O Prophet I to. the Jews).

11. The Jews in the holy Prophet's time were accusing the Muslims of
taking certain foods which, they said, had been unlawful since the days of Abraham
(on him be peace I). The Qur'an denies the charge, and puts the Jews to silence
by a reference to their own scripture,

12. (clear exposition) *\ r, after the evidence has held the Jews.

13. (by repeating the charge that certain foods, lawful in the code of Islam,
had been unlawful since the very beginning).

14. (O Prophet ! to the Jews).

15. (in regard to the old law and practice of Israel).

16. (the progenitor of your race and the fountainhead of your faith). Ad
the faith of Abraham is no other than Islam. See P. i, n, 618, III, n. 523.

17. Built first by Adam, and then, after it had been in ruins, rebuilt by
Abraham and Ismail. Sec P, I, nn. 563 and 577.

18. (for His worship by Himself). The great antiquity of this House is
undisputed. 'This square stone temple, , * . , itself of unknown antiquity, was
situated within the precincts of the town of Mecca/ (HHW, VIII, p. 108). 'It
had been throughout the ages the object of the greatest veneration ; it was looked on
as a present made by Jehovah to the Arab race to bear witness to its condition privi-
leged beyond all others. It was the oratory of Abraham and of Ishmael, the house
of Allah. 3 (p, 162) See also P. I a. 563 ; P. XVII, n. 338.

19. A variant for Makka. There is a mention of the valley of Baca in the
Bible (Ps. 84: 6). The old translators pave the word the meaning of *a valley of
weeping,'' but better sense seems to have come now. According to more recent of
the Biblical scholars, the word 'signifies rather any valley lacking water/ And l the
Psalmist apparently has in mind a particular valley whose natural condition led him
to adopt its name/ (JE, II. p. 415). Now this waterless valley can by its natural
condition be easily identified with the valley of Makka — a town of great importance
even in antiquity. *On the trade with the East, rather than upon any local products,
depended the prosperity of Arabia. Even as far back as the tenth century B. C.
the spices, peacocks, and apes of India were brought by ship to the coast of Oman.
, , . . . A glance at the map will show how Mecca, which lay about half-way
between Hadharmaut and Pctra, must have benefitted by this land commence, and
explains why it became a centre of population and a resort of merchants/ (Sykes,
History of Persia, I, pp. 504-505, see also P. XXVI, n, 303)

20. *\ t. t rich in blessings ; abounding in good. The sanctuary at Makka
possessed 'a worldwide fame, surpassing even that of the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre or of St. Peter's at Rome/ (ERE. I, p. 667)

21. {in virtue of its being the Q,ibla), The address is mainly to the Jews
who are told that as the first House of worship and more ancient than the Temple
at Jerusalem, Ka'ba has the greater right to be regarded as Q,ibla.

2 $° Part IV

3 » 1 -SSifeaL

97 ' t^**^" ■ - - **■*) fn jt are cfear signs" and the station of IbrShTm^
And he who enters it shall be secure. 2 * And Incumbent on mankind is pilgrimage
to the House for the sake of Allah— on him who is able to find a way thereto,"
And he who disbe!ieves 2c -^then Allah is Independent of all creatures.**

98. ( d } JL*3 . •■• JI) Say thou,* 8 '0 people of the Book l as why do you
deny the revelations of Allah, 2 * while Allah is Witness of what you work. 31

"• ( dt L*; • - . J>) Say them" 'O people of the Book f why do you
hinder 33 those who believe from the way of Allah" seeking to make it 35 crooked, 38
while you are witnesses ?" And Allah is not unmindful of what you work'. 3 ' '

10 °" W^ ■ - ' Wtf) ° y QLJ wfl ° Relieve I were you to obey" any
section of those who have been given the Book" they would" render you
infidels 12 after your having believed.

101. [p^ssu* . . . *-i>J)) Vet how can you disbelieve 43 while to you ar&
recited the revelations of Allah," and in your midst is the messenger** of Allah.
And he who holds fast to Allah, is assuredly guided to a straight path."

22. (of its greatness both material and spiritual, it being the permanent all-
work! centre of the monot heists),

23. See P. I, n. 563.

24. See P. I, », 566,

25 + ». t. a one who has sufficient money, bodily health, etc. The pronoun in
fj^\ may refer either to the House or the pilgrimage.

26. Note the extreme importance of the Pilgrimage. Wilful neglect of this
commandment of God amounts to the abandonment of His faith.

27. {so he who wilfully neglects the pilgrimage does so to his own peril, and
not to any possible hurt to his Lord and Creator). The tribal or national god of the
polytheistic peoples existed only with and "through his tribe or nation. Not so the
God of Islam. He is Ever-Living, Self-Sufficient. Whether the whole of mankind
served Him or none observed His commandments, it made no difference to Him
whatsoever.

///. SUrdt-uf-'Imran 251

28. (O Prophet!)

29. The address is mainly to the Jews,

30. (in the face of their manifest truth).

3L (so that your concealment will not avail). He is the Ever-Living,
Ever-Present, Witness of all human actions., passions and motives. If not His love,
then His fear and the consciousness of His omniscience, ought to prompt one to a
life of truth, integrity and honour,

32. (O Prophet !)

33. (by guile and deceit).

34. (in the truth of Islam). Not content with themselves wantonly denying
the truth of God, the Jews plotted to seduce the Muslims from the faith. The
particular person alluded to, whom the Jews endeavoured to pervert from Islam,
was, as named by the commentators, one *Amr of Medina.

35. l\ #., the religion of Islam. The pronoun refers to 'the way of
Allah. *

36. The Jews hoped to achieve their object by creating schism among the
Muslims and sowing dissensions among them. A Jew named Shams ibn Qats
happened one day to pass by men of the tribes of Aus and Kbazraj, and found them
engaged in familiar and friendly conversation. Intensely vexed at this harmony
which now existed among them as Muslims after they had been most mortal and
inveterate enemies to each other for J 20 years, he directed a young man to sit by
them and to recite loudly the poem of the battle of Buath depicting one of the
deadliest of the encounters. This had the designed effect. The tribes began to
reflect on each other, till at length they came to arms* The holy Prophet, however,
soon stepped in, and his remonstrances immediately quelled what might have been a
formidable rising.

37. (of its truth in your heart) i. *., while your conscience hears witness to
the truth of Islam,

38. (so His chastisement is sure to arrive at its proper time).

39. (or to allow yourselves to be influenced by).

40. (but are as yet inveterate enemies of Islam).

41. {in sheer malice and envy).

42. (in practice at. any rate). For the Muslims to fall to fighting among
themselves without good reason is, in effect, to revert to paganism and infidelity,

43. i. e., how is it possible for you to revert to such acts as are tantamount
to paganism and infidelity,

44. I. e. r while the Holy Qux'Sn is in your midst.

45. (physically, so long as he is alive, and in spirit, after his death, that is,
through his works and words, or sunnah). The point is that there is no earthly reason
for any one to go back to irreligion so long as the Qur*an and the sunnah are in
existence. On the contrary every one has every motive to be a good and true
Muslim,

46. (and is, therefore, assured of the highest bliss).

SECTION 11

102 ' (^5*W . . . Uj»Ij) 9 V olJ wno believe ! fear Allah with fear due to
Him, 47 and do not die except you be Muslims.* 6

103. (^jAj^j . . , j^was.ptj) And hold fast all of you* 6 to the cord of

Allah. 1 ' and separate not." And remember Allah's favour to you. 62 in that you
were enemies,* 3 and He joined your hearts together,* 1 so you became brethren 65
by His favour; and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire,** and He rescued you
from it." Thus does Allah expoundeth to you His revelations that perhaps you
may remain guided. 6ft

104 - ((jjsUAJl - - . ^aJ j) And let there be among you a community
calling others to good and commanding equity and forbidding evil. 6 " And it is
these who are blissful.

105. • (*jjjt* - • p IjJjjCj! 1 ,) And be not as those who*" separated 01 and
differed among themselves 62 after there had come to them evidences/' 3 These"
are the ones for whom shall be a torment mighty.

47. *\ e., with as much fear as you are capable of. The verse docs not
mean ; fear Him with a fear that is worthy of Him— a command impossible of
fulfilment. The meaning is: keep clear of sins and transgressions, as you have
already kept clear of idolatry and paganism.

48. i. e„ full of faith, perfect in conduct, and strict in the observance of the
Law, To die as Muslims is indeed to 'die like a gentleman/ while to die in infide-
lity is to 'die as a beast."

49. ( willi one mind and purpose). The address is to the Muslim commu-
nity, both collectively and individually.

50. L *,, His religion of Islam.

51. (from each other). The.Frophet 'succeeded in introducing into the
anarchical society of his time a sentiment of national unity, a consciousness of rights
and duties towards one another such as the Arabs had not felt before. In this way

Ul. SOwt-uf-'tmrSn 253

Islam was uniting together classes that hitherto had been continually at feud with
one another/ (Arnold, Preaching of Islam, p, 41),

52. I. €.■, the guidance which has, besides conferring Other benefits, led to
unity and solidarity.

53. (to one another). Internecine war faro in prc-Islamic Arabia has been
proverbial and pagan Arabia, divided into mutually hostile clans and tribes very
much after the fashion of modern European states presented the sight of a /veritable
armed camp. 'Of the time of ignorance which preceded Mahomet, seventeen
hundred battles are recorded by tradition ; hostility was embittered with the rancour
of civil faction ; and the recital, in prose or verse, of an obsolete feud was sufficient
to rekindle the same passions among the descendants of the hostile tribes. In private
life, every man, at best every family was the judge and avenger of its own cause.'
(GRE. V, p. 323). 'A potty affront or unpremeditated blow, not unfrequeutly,
involved whole tribes and tracts of country in protracted and bloody strife/ (Muir,
Op, cit. Intro, p. cist)

54-. (by Islam) 'Within a brief span of mortal life Muhammad called Forth
out of uncompromising material a nation never united before, in a country that was
hitherto but » geographical expression/ (Hitti, History of Arabs, pp. 12 1 '122).

55. (in common faith suppressing every distinction of race and kindred, and
regarding each other as brethren). The Holy Prophet in the early days of his
settlement in Medina coupled his principal followers with the rights and obligations
of brethren, 'The expedient was crowned with success; the holy fraternity was
respected in peace and war, and the two parties vied with each other in a generous
emulation of courage and fidelity/ (GRE. V, p. 357). 'It required the genius of
Muhammcd to unite old enemies, and bind them together/ (EBr. XV, p. 657),

56. {of Hell by your idolatrous tenets and practices).

57. (in His infinite loving-kindness by directing you to Islam and its worldly
blessings), 'A new starting- point was made in Arabia ; the whole past was oblite-
rated. A new Arabia arose and a new Arabian nation was summoned into existence
to take its place in the history of the world and to hold aloft the torch of monotheism,
or the worship of the one true God/ (BR, IV, p. 2282). 'Here was a truly
marvellous reform. Muhammed had created a religion which had none of the
features of the ancient cults, no priesthood, and no ceremonial, which was based on
no forms but upon a spiritual relationship to an unseen God. It was not designed to
give prestige to a special group but to create a universal brotherhood composed of all
men of every race who would accept this God and promise loyalty to His prophet/
(Denison, Emotion at the Basis of Civilization, p, 274).

58. i, t-t steadfast in the guidance and seeking increase therein.

59. Since the duty of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong entails
conditions in which the whole nation cannot share, the Holy Qur'an, while addres-
sing the entire Muslim people, demands the action of a part of it only.

GO. {like the Jews and the Christians, moved by self-interest and other
ignoble motives).

61. (and split into sects and sub-sects),

62. (concerning the nature, person and attributes of God, the Resurrection
and other vital doctrines),

63. (of the truth of God's religion)

64. i.e., the wilful rejectors of God's truth from among the Jews and the
Christians.

Part IV

■^^\ '. , , , , p *<&£

T06, ( tJ1 jijC? , , , ..j) On a day when some faces 65 will become white-
ned" 8 and other faces* 7 will become blackened. 86 Then as for those whose faces
shall have become blackened : 'did you disbelieve after your profession of
belief ?*• Taste the torment, 70 for you have been disbelieving'.

107. ( .an; . . . I. J A And as for those whose faces shall have become
whitened, they shall be in Allah's mercy ; therein they shall abide, 7 '

108- ( .yj^LJJ , . . t_£Jj) These are revelations of Allah ; We rehearse
them to thee** with truth ; and Allah intends not wrong to His creatures, 7 *

109. Iiyj) ... ill ,) Allah's is whatever is in the heavens and in the
earth; 74 and to Allah are committed at! affairs."

SECTION 12

110- ( ( u*JU#?l . . , ?*•>£) You are the best community ever sent forth to
mankind; 76 you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah. 77 Now if
the people of the Book have faith/ 8 it were better for them ; among them some
are believers, 7 * and most of them are ungodly. 80

111. ( ■ jj-aJ^j . . „ -v i) They 61 shall not be abfe to harm you 8 ' except with
small hurt, 63 and if they fight you, they shall turn their backs upon you ;** then
they will not be helped. 85

65. {of the good- doers).

66. (with the radiance of joy J,

67. (of the evil-doers), "• '"

68. (with the gloom of fear),

69. Thus they will, be addressed. The interrogatory form is indicative of
reproach.

70. 'Taste 3 is here ironical,, indicative of contempt.

71. (for ever). It is the eternal nature of the heavenly bliss that is here
emphasised.

72. (O Prophet))

Ill SOrat-uf-'ImtSn 255

73. (so his judgments shall be, in every instance, absolutely just and equit-
able). It is not a capricious spite but absolute and stern justice that leads God of
Islam to inflict punishment on His guilty creatures. He is in no way comparable to
the malevolent deities of the polythr-ists.

74. See P. Ill, n, 23.

75. (for disposal atid judgment). Another reminder of the fact, that He is
the sole Judge and Arbiter.

76. (to benefit it by your precept and practice, O Muslims t)

77. Tims the Muslims are the creators, preservers and custodians of moral
order in God's universe, i\ e.> His policemen on the earth, * This is the moral
justification of the aggressive activism of Islam, the justification of the early Islamic

conquests and its so-called '-Imperialism" Moral knowledge, according to the

teachings of Islam, automatically forces a moral responsibility upon men. A mere
Platonic discernment between Right and Wrong, without the urge to promote the
Right and to destroy the Wrong is a gross immorality in itself. In Islam, morality
lives and dies with the human endeavour to establish its victory upon earth." (Asad,
Islam on the Crossroad, pp. 27-28).

7S. (as they should, and as the Muslims do).

79. (such as Abdullah ibn Sal am and his companions).

80. (and pel's isle nt scoffers),

81. The allusion is to the Jews of Medina,

82. (O Muslims 1}

83. jl is A slight evil ; less than what is termed ^ (LL). The Muslims
are here definitely told that the Jews, rich and powerful though they were, would
not be abte to indict upon them any serious injury.

84-, i* *., if they ever muster courage to fight, they are sure to receive a
crushing defeat. And as this actually happend in the case of the tribes Quraiza and
Nadh.Tr, the Bani Quinuqa* and the Jews of Khaibar. It affords one more ins-
tance of the prophetic texts corroborated by the events,

85. *, *> t far from being victorious they shall receive no help from any quar-
ter j their end will be complete isolation.

£56 ^ p ar t iv

it^^^^#^i(^t^c^^^^j^ uiaift

1 ^ 2 * (ijjA**^ * ■ ■ *■***>■*) Stuck upon them is abjection" wherever they
may be, 87 except in a compact with Allah" and in a compact with men;*» and
they have drawn upon themselves wrath from Allah,** and stuck upon them is
poverty." That is because they have been denying the signs of Allah* 3 and
killing the prophets of Aflah without right" That is because they have disobeyed,
and they have been transgressing. 84

11 ^" {&&*&** • * • !j?^) Yet were tnev " not a M alike.** Among the
people of the Book there is a community steadfast, reciting the revelations of
Allah" in the watches of night while they prostrate themselves."

114 ' {^aaL.JS , , . ^y^j) And they believe in Aflah and the Last Day
and enjoin good and forbid evil,** and vie with each other" in virtues. And these
are among the righteous.

115. LrtSJU^ ... U } ) And whatever of good they do shall not be
denied. 300 And Allah is Knower of the pious. 101

^ 16 ' (ijy^ ' *s* uA) SureJ y those who disbelieve, neither their riches
nor their progeny shall avail themselves aught against Allah, 108 These are the
inmates of the Fire; therein they shall abide.

86. i, *,, insecurity of their lives and ruin of family and property : see P, I.
nn. 261, 262 ff.

87. Witness the plight of the Jews, even at the present day (1938), in
Berlin, and Vienna, and elsewhere. 'While they dominate the realm of international

finance and may even dictate in the realm of international politics they seem

still to exist on sufferance, as aliens, more or less, undesirable/ (MA).

88. This covers the exceptions prescribed by the Islamic law, such as the
religious recluses, women and children.

89. This covers the case of those who obtain security by entering into
treaties.

90. See P. L, n. 264.

91. See P. I., nn. 262 ff.

///, SUrat-uh'fmr&n

92. Sec P. I., n. 267.

93. See P. U iio. 2€9 S 270,

94. {the bonds of the Law habitually), See P. I, tin. 271, 272.

95. (in their attitude towards the true Faith)*
96; i. e., the Holy Quran.

97. (nnd it is they who have realised and recognised the truth of Islam).
Night devotions arc particularly meritorious,

98. Virtuous characteristic of the best community. See verse 1 10 above.

99. &£\Iuj.a signifies the hastening with one another or crying, or striving,
with another in hastening; or hastening to he, or get before another or others,'

(LL),

100. (because of their past). No good action or the need thereof is ever to

be lost.

101. (and as these are transparently among the God-fearing, He knows them

also very well).

102. (cither by way of compensation, or by way of offering sacrifices on
behalf of there ancestors). 'The Hindu unites in some degree with the Chinese as
to ancestor- worship, and specially as to the necessity of having a son by blood or
adoption, who shall offer the proper sacrifices to him after death.' (PC. II> p. 1 19)
In Sanskrit the very word 'putra' (son) moans, according to Mann, "he that
delivers his father from the Hell called Put." (ERE, I, p. 540)

258

Part fV

cj4@^oJJi-

117- (^ij-Ifej . - . JJU) The likeness 103 of what they 1 " spend in the life
of this world 11 * is that of a wind in which \s intense cofd; it befalls the cornfields
of a people 106 who have wronged themselves 107 and lays them waste. lDB Allah
wronged them not, 10 * but themselves they wrong. 110

118, f^nJUnj , . , Lj^j) O you who believe I take not for an intimate' 11
anyone besides yourselves; 112 they shall not be remiss in corrupting you, 118 They
yearn for what distresses you; surely their malice 114 has shown itself of their own
mouths, 116 and what their breasts hide is greater stiff. Verily We have expounded
you the signs,* 1 * if you will reflect.

119, ()jA-*J1 , , . *3cjl&) Lo! it is you who love them, 117 while they love
you not, 118 and you believe in the 8ook, all of it. J19 When they 140 meet you, they
say, 'we believe'. 1 " 1 And when they are afone, they bite tl.eir fingers at you in
rage, 152 Say thou, 143 'perish in your rage. 124 Allah Is Knower of what is in your
breasts', 156

103. {in point of fatuity).

104. i, e. t the infidels; those devoid of true faith.

105. (to gain fame, or out of vanity, or from fear, or for appearances' sake),

106. (and smiting the herbage and the seed-produce of the field).

107. (by impiety and irreligion).
1 00. (by way of punishmen t) .

109. (in bringing to naught what they spent).

U0, (by spending their riches in a way disapproved or by God).

11L (to whom you may confide your secrets), &<j^ is 'A friend, who is
consulted respecting one's circumstances/ or a bosom friend,

112. i, e., the Muslims. Obviously a wise maxim to preserve the faithful
from the contaminating influence of impiety and irreligion.

1 !3. JUa. is 'A state of perdition or destruction ; or a thing's going, passing
or wasting away; or being consumed or destroyed/ And the phrase means; 'They

259
Ml. Sural- tif'fmrgn

will not fall short, or flag, or be remiss, in corrupting or vitiating, your affairs/

(LL} ' , ,. - r

i 14, (towards you). The allusion is to the Mediman Jews.

115. (unwillingly, since they cannot control themselves in their extreme

hatred).

1 16. (of their intense hatred and enmity towards you).

117. — simple and trusting as you are—

118. (nor believe in your Book).

1 19. (including theirs as believers in all revealed religions). The word
ulafjl is here used in generic sense. The Muslims art- bound to believe in all

Revealed Rooks.

120. i. *., the hypocrites among the Jews,
121- I. <•> lUey aver that they are Muslims.

122. i. c, in the hciglu of their impotent rage.

123. (unto them, O Prophet!).

124. (as never shall the end you seek be achieved ; the power of Islam shall
continue and increase and shall not perish).

125. (so He knows the spite that is rankling in the breasts of the enemies of
Islam, and has laid it bare).

260 Part IV

120, (i-^isi^ . . . ,^} If there happens ro you any good, 15 * it grieves
them, 1 * 7 and if there befalls to you an ill r j,s they rejoice at it."* And if you remain
perservlrtg and Gotf-fearing their guile shall not harm you at ail. Surely ANah is
Encompasser of what they work 1 - 110

SECTION 13

"121. (p^L; . . , s\ j) And re-caff when thou'" went forth" 2 fiom thy
house early to assign position 133 to the believers in the battle. 154 And Allah is
Hearing, 135 Knowing. 13C

122. (jjjJUJJl . . . e^fcjl) Re-calf when two sections of you 137 medita-
ted that they should flag, iaa whereas Allah wes the Patron of ihe twain. ]a * And
upon Allah, then, should the believers rely. 140

123. LjjiX&j • - ' AS-S) And assuredly Allah succoured you 1 " at Badr. M£
while you were humble J . lia So fear Allah 141 that perhaps you may return thanks. 1 * 5

124. ( vJU^ . . . iiV) Re-call when thou saidst to the believers, 14 «
'suffices it not, to you, 347 that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand
angels sent down. 346

126, (such as unity among the ranks of the Muslims, or their victory over
pagans) .

127. So spiteful are they !

I26\ i, e., any temporary set-back,

129. So malicious are they 1

130. {and He is sure to requite them accordingly).

131. (O Prophet ! as the military commander of the Muslim army),

132. (in the direction of the Mount of Ohud).

133. i. e., places which the Muslim troops should occupy. The choice of
"position' was of immense importance then, as it is, to a considerable extent, even
now. And the Prophet remarkable strategist as he was, paid special attention to
proper arraying of life troops in the battle-field. Speaking of the first battle of Islam,

///. SUrat-ul-'fmr%n

says a modern Christian biographer of Lhe holy Prophet :—'h\ contrast with his

Opponents, who fought with careless bravado Mohammed championed a

comparatively modern tactical idea. To the- exuberant martial mood and the
knightly bravery of the Meccans fad opposed strict discipline and careful deliberation^
(Andre, Mohammed, p, 14-4-45).

134. (of Olmd). Twelve months after the battle of Badr, when the third
year of the Prophet's stay at Medina was drawing to a close, there burst out a Storm
of unprecedented violence. After exceedingly elaborate preparations, the Qinaish
'commenced their march, 3,000 strong ; 700 were mailed warriors, and 200 well-
mounted cavalry : the remainder rode on camels . , . The chiefs of Koraish alt joined

the force Women were allowed to accompany them . , • . Taking timbrels in

their hands, they sang to their wild cadence songs of venegeance for kinsmen slam
at Badr' (MUir, op. «'., pp. 253). The Muslim army, all told, was 1,000, and
the holy commander had no more than one horse, besides his own, in bis whole
army. And then at dawn, while (he columns of the enemy were in sight, aird while
the Muslim army, led by the holy Prophet, prostrated itself in worship, 'Abdullah
ibn Obayy at this moment wheeled suddenly round, and, deserting the army with his
300 followers took the road back to city.' (p, 275), Thus the Prophet was left
with but 700 followers, of whom only a hundred were clad in mail, facing a well-
equipped army four times their number.

135. (so that He heard all that was said then and there).

136. (so that He knew all thai was happening then and there).

137. (momentarily losing heart by the precept and example of Abdullah hit*
Obayy, the ringleader of the hypocrites). The two clans of Salima (Kazraj tribt;)
and Haritha (AGs tribe), who occupied the two flanks*

138. (and withdraw from the battle-field), ^ here implies only a passing
thought, an inclination, a momentary weakness, not any definite action.

139. (so that He never allowed them to be actually guilty or cowardice).
'The early battles of Islam,' 'in the main historical/ 'arc more than Homeric in
the reckless valour and the chivalrous devotion that they exhibit 3 (Bosworth Smith,

op, cil>, p. 207).

140. (and let them never again be influenced and disturbed by disheartening

thoughts).

141. (O Muslims I). This is said to awaken in their memory an occasion on

which reliance on God had worked wonders.

142. Badr is a camping-ground and market, about twenty miles south- west
of Medina noted for plentiful supply of water, and situated at the union of the road
from Medina and the caravan route from Syria to Makka. 'Here was manifested
for the first time how the hope of a blessed hereafter had filled the believing
Moslems with an enthusiasm which defied death and despised pain .... The battle
of Badr was of the greatest importance for the victory of Islam/ (HHW. VIII,

262 - Part iy

pp, 120-121) 'However unimportant in itself as a military engagement, this
Ghazwat Badr laid the foundation of Muhammed's temporal power. Islam had
won its first and decisive military victory . , . Hitherto it had been a religion within
a state; in al-Madinah, after Badr, it passed into something more than a state
religion— it itself became the state. Then and there Islam came to be what the
world has ever since recognized it to be— a militant polity* (Hitti, op, di. t p. 117),
M before a noun signifying place or time is almost synonymous with \ . So that J
here may also be rendered as 'close by/' * *

143. fj e. } poor in regard to numbers, mounts and armour. 'They mounted
by turns a train, of seventy camels/ but such was the poverty of the early Muslims
'that only two could appear on horseback in the field' (GRE. V. p. 361), See p. X.
n. 37. The battle was fought -on the 17th or 1 9th Ranuan, 2 A. H. or according
to the Christian calendar on the 17th March, 624.

144. (as that Divine succour was the result of your fear of God). *The
spirit of discipline and contempt of death manifested at this first armed encounter
of Islam proved characteristic of it in all its later and greater conquests' {Hitti,
*A cit.). 'It laid the foundation of the Prophet's power and likewise for the further
propagation of Islam and rarely did the superior ability of the Prophet show itself
so clearly as on this occasion/ (EI. I, p. 559). See also P. X, n. 9,

145. (for such special favours as the Divine succour in war).

146. (to allay their alarm and dismay at the news of the enemy reinforce-
ments, O Prophet !)

147. (for cheering you up and strengthening your hearts).

148. (from heaven for this very purpose)

///. Surat-trf-'fmran 263

m>gi . ^ : ^^

^^^K^M^A^'^^ 5 *** 2

125. f ^ . . . JU) Yea - ^ ^ olJ but re ™ 3 ' /7 steadfast and Gotf-
f earing," 11 and they should' come- upon you immediately, 1 " your Lord shall
reinforce you 1 " with five thousand angels marked. 162

126. ( A&sdl * * - .U ) And this promise 1 ** Allah did not make except
as a joyful announcement to you, 1 " so that thereby your hearts might be set at
rest-and no success is there but from Allah, 15 * the Mighty, 1 " the Wise 1 "-

127. ( y^lL . . . M*i) In order that 156 He may cut off 159 a portion of
those who disbelieve, 1 * or abase them 1 * 1 so that they may go back frustrated. 1 * 2

128. ( JLfc . ► . r^) Nought w '* h tnee ' s of lne affair ; IM He shall
either relent towards them"*- or torment them 165 for they are the ungodly. 166

1 29. (*.&,, . , . aj ) Allah's is whatever is in the heavens and whatever
is in the earth." 7 He forgives whom He will, and torments whom He will ; and
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." 8

SECTION 14

130. ( sbJaj . , l(jLj) O you who believe ! do not devour usury"*
multiplied manifold; 1 *' and fear Allah, haply ye may thrive. 171

131. (^yiXXi , . ■ fjAsl,) And beware of the Fire prepared for the
infidels. 172

132. ( , iya s>y . . * 1,**!*! 5 ) And obe y Al,ah and the rn essen 9 er - m
you may be shown mercy.

haply

149. (at the time of war and be not inclined to indiscipline)

150. j^jj tK »5yS means * they came in a headlong manner/ (LL)

151. (even then, when human succour is most difficult to obtain). The
Holy Prophet on the eve of his departure for Ohud said in the course of his
address:— ,lf yc be steadfast, the Lord will grant you victory . . . . Wait on the
Lord. Only be steadfast, and He will send you victory/ The entire emphasis is
on the virtues of constancy and discipline,

152. (by their special badges)* '^.y*. in the Kuran may mean, either

264 p 3 rt IV

marked by the colours, or the like, of their horses, so as to be distinguished from
others, or, sent forth' (LL).

153, i\ e., the promise of reinforcements by the angels.

154. i. e., as an earnest of your victory.

155, (in fact and reality). The verse besides serving as a warning against
the; possible deification of angels and making it clear Lhat it is God alone, and not
His angels, who really cause victory , also demonstrates the truth, inexplicable on
any other ground, that the expansion of islam was due solely to the direct Divine
intervention. 'liven though it be admitted/ says a n on -believing Christian, 'that
Mohained laid the foundations of his laws in the strongest principles of human
nature, and prepared the fabric of his empire with the pro found est wisdom, still
there can be no doubt that the intelligence of no man could, during his lifetime,
have foreseen, and no combination could have insured, on the part of one individual,
the extraordinary success of his followers. 1 [Finlay, Grctte under the Romans, p. 446)

156. i. e., Abie to grant victory, without any ostensible and apparent cause*

157, i. f., making concession to the vulgar mind that looks up more and
more to the immediate causes,

158. The conjunction is dependent on some such words as 'He succoured
you.*

159* (at your hands).

160. This took place on the day of Badr when seventy of the chosen chiefs
of the Quraish were slain and seventy others taken captive,

161. ( b y th eir complete rout) .

162. f~» e, broken ftild in utter despair.

163. (O Prophet!) i. e., the fate of the rebellious Makkam, With this
verse is resumed the tale of Ohud left off in verse 120. The Prophet as he sat
wounded in his face and as the blood was being wiped off him, reflected sorrowfully
on the fate that awaited his rebellious people and is said to have remarked, 'How-
shall a people prosper who treat thus their prophet who callctb them unto the Lord 3 >
Thereupon the verse was revealed,

164. (by opening their hearts to Islam)

165. (in this very world)

166. (and merit immediate punishment)

167. See P. Ill, n. 23.

168. (so that no special reason is required for the exercise of His forgiveness
and mercy)

169. i. *., neither lend nor borrow money on interest. The close connection
between war and national loans and debts is too plain to need expiation. *Th«
Talmud classes the usurer with the murderer, neither of them being able to atone
for his crime. It even forbids the acceptance of interest and in the Middle Ages
even the smallest interest of the pawn shops was considered usury/ (JE, IX,

///. SUrat-ul-'Imrln 265

p. 373). Yet the Biblical law 'docs not impose any limit in dealings between Israelites
and Gentiles* (XII, p. 388). And the Jews and the Christians both have found it
'impossible to carry out the canonical restrictions without, stopping all progress in
commerce/ (p. 391). It is thus the Holy Qur'an alone that has forbidden the
practice For all ages and in all circumstances, regardless of alt 'commercial'
considerations. For 'usury' see P. Ill, an. 141, 146 and the Appendix,

17o\ (making the rich richer and the poor poorer), 'What offends the
moralist to-day is that money is lent by those who have abundance and returns to
them to increase that abundance, the increase being the unpaid dues of labour,
which alone > the argument runs, produces wealth/ (ERE,, XII, p. 554), 'In some
countries are found instances of the exaction of interest at thirty, Fifty and even
higher per cent* (CD, p. 988),

171, The basis of prosperity and success, both in this world and the
Hereafter, is fear of God, not greed of gold.

172, (essentially and primarily). Hell is intended for the infidels- Muslims
are warned to guard themselves against imitating them or practising their actions.

173, (cheerfully and with all your heart).

266 , Pan IV _

133. (.^juJU . - « It^j^j) AncJ ^ asten to forgiveness from your Lord
and towards the Garden"* as vast as the heavens and the earth, 17 * prepared for
the God -fearing; 1 ™

134. ( ^^aajl . . . ^jjJl) Those who spend 1 ** both in weal and
woe, 178 who repress anger 17 * and who pardon men; 1Bfl and Allah loves the well-
doers. 181

135. ( „ jr l*.> . . . .j J <^0 And tnose who ' when tr > ev have committed a
misdeed 184 or wronged themselves, 16 * remember Allah 16 * and beg forgiveness of
their sins 165 — and who forgives sins save Allah ? 180 — and do not persist in what
they have done while they know. 1 "

136. ( (1 jJU*Jl • * • ■— £&iO I* ' $ those whose recompense 186 is forgiveness
from their Lord and Gardens beneath which rivers flow. They shall abide therein;
excellent is the wage of the workers ! ies

137. ( .v&jo.£Jl ♦ * . <ij) Dispensations have gone forth before you; 190 go
about them on the earth, and see what has been the end of the beliers! 181

174. (by betaking yourselves to actions leading thereto).

175. This merely gives an idea of its unimaginable vast n ess,

176. Muslims are thus exhorted to acquire positive merits and win the way
through to everlasting Bliss and not to rest content with the mere negative aspect of
abstaining from evil.

177. (benevolently; in the service of the Creator and His creatures)

178* (alike) t. e. t in all circumstances; in times of prosperity and comfort
and in times of adversity and distress,

179. (even under grave provocation), Mark the word j^J. It is not the
obliteration of the irascible emotion but only its repression or control that is
commended in Islam. Ja^jIJi t 1 _ t. f k< M are those who refrain from giving vent to
their wrath while they have the power to do so, and those who have mastered their
anger.

///. SOrat-t/t-'fmran 267

180, i. e. t those win) refrain from punishing t1io.sc whom ihey have a right
to punish. Not« that this teaching was given in the first place to the Arabs, the
most revengeful of all the peoples. 'To the heathen Ar&b, friendship and hostility
were as a loan which he sought to repay with interest, and he prided himself on
returning evil for evil, and looked down on any who acted Otherwise as weak
ridering' (Arnold, Preaching of Islam, p. 43).

181. It is related of Hasan the son of AH that a slave having once thrown a
dish on him boiling hot, as he sat at tabic, and fearing his master's resentment, fell
immediately on his knees and repeated these words, Paradise is jot those who bridle their
anger*. Hasan answered, lam not angry. The slave proceeded, and for those who forgive
men. J for give you, said Hasan. The slave, however, finished the verse, adding, for
God lovetk the beneficient. Since it is so, replied Hasan, I give you your liberty, and four
hundred picas of silver. (Saks The Koran, London ! 892, p. 46).

182- (involving injury to others). Literally, t&aXi i £ ' an excess; an
enormity ; anything exceeding the bounds of rectitude. 3 Here it signifies a sin
involving injury to others.

183- i. c, committed a sin injurious to themselves.

184, i. e., His commandments atrtl His prohibitions, immediately or soon
after the deed.

185. (by remorse and repentance and by making amends in the way pres-
cribed by the Law). Parenthetically, this encourages people to ask His pardon,
and implies a promise that their repentance will be accepted.

188. (the God of Mercy and Forgiveness). A staggering blow to the
Christian idea that the power of forgiving sins is in the hands of Christ and the
pastors of his Church. Cf. the NT : — 'Then said Jesus to them again. , . . Whose-
soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them j and whosesoever sins ye retain,
they are retained". (Js. 20 : 21-23). * Unlimited power or remitting sin was promised
and conferred upon the Apostles and their successors by Jesus Christ* This power
is exercised in the Sacrament of Penance* (CD. p. 821), And the following is an
extract from Dr. Butler's 'Catechism* for the Roman Catholics : —
*Q r . By whose power are sins forgiven ?

A. By the power of God, which Christ left to the pastors of the
Church/ (p. 84-},

187. (that they have committed a sin and that they have to make proper
amends for it) U, they do not repeat the sinful act knowingly.

188. (for all their sins and faults).

189. (of good).

190. {O Muslims!) i\ e., different ways of life, of faith and unbelief, with
their different fate*

191. f. f., ruin and perdition in this very world, March in the earth, and
take warning by the vestiges of their destruction which you shall see.

268 Pan tV

, — ■^— ^—

'vstd _ d&ssL

. ; J,

138. (^jttJtJ . . . iia) This"* Qev'S/Hs an exposition for mankind and
a guidance and an admonition for the God-iearing}**

139. ( .^JUC, - . • *.) And do not faint n0r 9 rieve ' y° u sna(J triumph, 1 * 4
if you are believers.

HO. ( ,.xJ&J\ , . ♦ ..l) " a distress has come in your way, 1 "* a like
distress has surely befallen that people."' Such" 7 are the haps" 8 that We
change about among mankind, so that Atlah may know 1 " those who believe and
may take martyrs from among you; 800 and Allah does not love the ungodly* 01 —

141. (^jjijCJl * . . fjsfsujJ*) And that Allah may purge those who
believe, 202 and wipe out the infidels. 803

142- ( .jy^-oJj . . . *l) Or. do you think that you shall enter the Garden"*
while yet Allah "has not known, 2 "* those who have striven hard,*** nor yet known
the steadfast ?

143. ( 40JU3 ■ . • «*JU«) And certainly you 207 were wont to long for death 20 *
before you had met it."* Now you have seen it. 210 even when you are looking

on.

192. According to some the word 'this' may refer to the preceding passage,
* Dispensations have gone forth before you/

193. Note once again that they alone can benefit by the Qjur'an who arc
alive to the fear of God J to them alone it can serve as a guide for right knowledge
and right conduct.

194. (O Muslims!) i. *., be uppermost both in arguments and in arms,
because you are on the side of truth, not falsehood.

195. (as in the battle of Ohud).

196. (as in the battle of Badr).

197. (vicissitudes of success and defeat).
198* Literally, 'days/

199. (demonstrably) i. «., God intended by this reverse to sift the true from
the false among those who professed Islam,

/// SUrst- uf 'tmran ??.

200. Martyrdom is the highest honour that a Muslim can aspire to achieve ;
so God intended, so far as the Muslim slain were concerned, to raise them to

martyrdom,

201. (so that no number of victories on the part of Che infidels can prove
that they are in the right or are of the loved by God). He allows them occasional
success either to tempt them or to test the believers, or with some such other end in
view in accordance with Hts Universal Plan.

202. (of any impurities that they might have contracted). Trials and tribu-
lations in the case of true believers have always the effect of purifying their hearts
and improving their morals.

203. (gradually, by making them still more arrogant by temporary successes,
and thus hastening them on to their final end). J&\ is to diminish a thing little
by little, 'It is true that in the following year (625) the Makkans under Abu-
Sufyan avenged at Uhud their defeat and even wounded the Prophet, but their
triumph was not to endure. Islam recovered and passed on gradually from the
defensive to the offensive and its propagation seemed always assured/ (Hitti, op. dl.

204. (distinguishcdly). Mere entering the Paradise is not necessarily subject
to the test of 'striving hard' and 'great steadfastness.* But those who, like the

companions of the holy Prophet, were ambitious of distinguished ranks and grades in
Paradise, must undergo hard tests.

205. L t», known in the world of experience, and not in His fore-knowledge

of every event.

206. (in His cause),

207. t. e. t some of you.

208. (by martyrdom). Persons who were not present at Badr desired to be
present with the Apostle at another sacred battle in order to gain the distinction
obtained by the heroes of Badr ; so they urged him to go out on the day of Ohud.

209. *. e,> before you faced it and had an actual experience of its terrors.,

210. U e. t its near approach.

2 1 1 . (then why waver now ?)♦

270 p a n IV

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I a ; ' in;. i ■ - ■ ... r VU tH

w*m^&> "%«sf ®i^| 0^ S l ££*$£& <$ $383f

jUoJl o\y .

SECTION 15

'•^ > (i^AH^' *> -JU.')) And Muhammad is naught but a messenger;"*
and messengers have surely passed away before him. 213 Will you then, if he
dies or is killed, turn round on your heels. 11 * And he who turns round on his
heels, does not harm Allah at all.* 1 * And surely Allah will recompense the
grateful. 110

1 ^ 5 ' (i^rj^Jl . . . U j) ft Is not open to any person to die except by
Allah's will' 217 at a time recorded. m And whoso desires the reward of th/s
world,*" We grant to him of this,"* and he who desires the reward of the
Hereafter We grant to hfm of thai." 1 And surely We will recompense the
grateful MS

146 ' G^jW ■ ■ &&■}) And frian y a prophet has fought 223 with a
number of godly men beside him For aught that befell them 22 * in the way of
Allah, they never fainted nor they weakened, 22D nor they abased themselves, 22 *
And Allah loves the steadfast. 237

147 - i^jykCi] ,. . U j) And their speech was naught save they said, 2 "
'our Lord I forgive us our sins and our exorbitance In our affairs 22 * and make our
foothold firm 2 '* and make us triumph over the disbelieving people/

212. (and therefore subject to the law of change ; and not an immortal God,
beyond the reach of death). "Mohammed to the end of his life claimed for himself
that title only with which he had begun, and which the highest philosophy and the
truest Christianity will one day, I venture to believe, agree in yielding to him— that
of a Prophet, a very Prophet of Cod/ (Bosworth Smith, op, cit, t p. 344), The
word A*aa^ literally means, *A man praised much, or repeatedly, or time after
lime: endowed with many praiseworthy qualities' (LL). 'The name was rare
among the Arabs/ (Muir, op. cit., p. 5). 'No impartial student surveying the
career and character of Mohammed can fail to acknowledge his loftiness of purpose,
his moral courage, his sincerity, his simplicity, and his kindness. To these qualities

Ill, SBrat-ul-'tmran 271

must be added unsparing energy and a genius for diplomacy (Sykes, History of
Persia, I, p. 520. See also P. XXVI, nn. 107 and 333).

213. (so he too will pass away at the end or his span of life). 'These verses
constitute one of the most moving and impressive portions of the Qjjr*£tt, and the
lesson they taught was never forgotten. And yet when sevpn years later the Prophet
lay dead in the lap of his beloved wife Aeysha, the news of his death produced such. a,
consternation among his devoted followers that they expected the heaven to burst
open and the earth to cleave asundif and wondered how long it could be for the
end of the world to come. The loving Umar was entirely beside himself. . . . Jt was
on a scene of such stormy emotions that the tender-hearted but ever tranquil Abu
Bakr arrived from the suburb of Mad in at, where he lived . , . . He said to the
assembled crowd with that sureness of conviction that had won him the title of

Siddlq, "O Men ! he who worshipped Muhammad, let him know that verily
Muhammad has already passed away; but he who worshipped Allah, let him know
that verily Allah is living and shall never die." And then he recited < . . , "And

Muhammad is no more than an apostle M This allayed all doubts and fears,

and a great tranquillity ensued. People who had constantly read .... the verse that
Abfi Bakr so appositely quoted, stated that when he recited it on this memorable
occasion, it seemed as if it had just been revealed' (MA). Such is the evergreen
freshness of the Holy Qu i J an !

214. (to apostasy). The Holy Prophet received serious wounds in the battle
of Ohud, and a rumour went round that he was slain. Then some of the hypocrites
said, 'had he been a prophet, he had not been killed, return therefore to your
brethren and your ancestral religion.' The verse alludes to this incident.

215. (but only hurts himself).

216. *'. *,, those who show their gratitude to Him for the benefit of Islam by
adhering to it*

217. {so that nobody can delay his death or anticipate it by keeping away
from battle or plunging into.it).

218. (in His fore- know I edge). So that death shall come neither be fore nor
after that time,

219. (to the exclusion of his reward in the Hereafter).

220. (and he shall be deprived of his portion in the Hereafter) .

221. (and We pledge Ourselves to that).

222. i. t., those who were thankful for His mercy, and were not diverted
by anything from fighting in His cause.

223. (against the infidels, and in the cause of faith).

224. (by way of disasters).

225. L *-, their zeal did not diminish in the least.

226. (before the enemy).

227. (and so He helps them and exalts their station).

228. (with true humility and becoming modesty, and far from any faltering
in act and deed, even in their word and speech they were so pure and sincere).

229. The godly and God-fearing in the fervour of their prayers and the
purity of their hearts are ascribing sins and excesses to themselves by way of self-
abasement.

230. (against infidels).

272 Part IV

®M* \j$^$$U%$&$ m^^M^Wtt 1 '

1 *< 1* ,1 •

148 (^ 4 iM.acu.Jl . . » /.fti'li) So 2:u Alfah granted to them the reward of
this world-™ 2 and the excellent reward of the Hereafter,*- 111 And Allah loves the
well-doers. 231

SECTION 16

149, (^jj.u.a. . . . ^*>'-j) Q vou wno believe ! if you obey those who
disbelieve, they will send you back on your heels, 1135 and you will turn back
losers.

150r (^^^ ' - • J-0 But A, ' ah " s y° ur Patron; 536 and He is the Best
of helpers. 237

(iji^kJS * ♦ . JLU*«) Soon will We put terror in the hearts of those
who disbelieve, 238 for they have joined with Alfah that for which Allah has sent
down no authority; and their resort is the Fire, Vile is the abode of the wrong-
doers. 2sa

231. »\ €, t by reason of their steadfastness and their imploring forgiveness
and taking refuge with Him,

232. i\ e t> glorious victory and good name.

233. The epithet *exceltent' is in order to indicate that the reward of the
Hereafter only is of consequence with God.

234 t (and He shall recompense them accordingly).

235. (to apostasy). . ,

236. (and Protector).

237, (so have implicit confidence in His friendship and in His help, and
through Him dispense with the alliance of others),

238, A remarkable instance of this terror-stricken mentality is furnished by
the behaviour of the Makkans after their show of a 'victory * at Ohud. The
natural course for them was to advance into Medina. Instead, they hastily retreated
to Makka without making the least use of their 'success.' In fact, it was the
Muslims who pursued them as far as Hamra-ul-Asad, and succeeded in making one

273
///. SGrar-ut 'Imran —

of the enemy a prisoner, A curious sight indeed of a <victonous> army m retreat
Kl the 'crest-fallen and crippled Muslims* in pursuit ! 'The Qp«d. *W *«d

w ith tame* when they saw the serious aad determined faces of the believers, tor
the emigrants and their fariMteft war was not a knightly sport or a festive parade to
gain national honour. It was M serious as death. Already in this battle we gain an
impression of the spirit which dominated the young militant congregation of Islam

(jbnfiv, op. dt, t p- 203), , . . ^ ,

239. i< e,> those who are so unjust as to transfer to others what is due to l*od

alone.

Pan iv

■ ^4*^Li^ .

1E >2. (^Ju^Jl . , * a*u) And Allah has assuredly made good His
promise" 411 (o you- 41 when you were extirpating them by His will,* 4 * until you
flagged,* 12 and you quarrelled about the command 2 " and you disobeyed 2 " after
He had shown you 2 '* what you had longed. 247 Of you some 2 " desired this
world, 4,1 * and of you some" desired the Hereafter," 1 therefore 56 - He turned you
sway from them" 3 that He might test you;** 4 and varily He has pardoned you.***
And Allah is Gracious to the believers.

153. l„,jJU*; * ♦ , lit) And re- call when you were running off J5fl and
would not look back on any one, whilst the messenger 267 in your rear was calling
you, m Then He caused grief to overtake you for grief, 249 so that you might not
grieve 2 * for what you might lose nor for what might befall you. 2 ** And Allah fs
Aware of what you work. 2 * 2

240. (of help and assistance).

241. (in the early stages of the battle of Ohud, consequent on your obedience
and s tead (as tn ess)

242. (and were in sight of complete victory).

243. i. €., the archers disobeyed. Mulr's account of the battle will bear
reproduction. The holy Commander of the faithful, before the battle had begun,
'posted on an adjoining eminence the flower of his archery, and gave their leader
stringent orders on no possible contingency to quite the spot . . , . "Guard our
rear/' he said, "and stir not from this spot; , . ♦ if we be pursued and even worsted,
do not venture to our aid," ... . Pressed by the fierce ardour of the Muslims, the
Meccan army began to waver . . , r The same daring contempt of danger was
displayed as at Badr .... But now the Muslims pressed too hotly their success.
Their line lost form and order; and a portion, piercing the enemy's ranks, fell to
plundering its camp. The archers who had hitherto held the Meccan horse in
check, saw from their height the tempting opportunity, and casting the Prophet's
strict injunction to the winds, . * . , hurried to the spoil. The ready eye of Kbalid
saw the chance f and he hastened to retrieve the day .... The Muslims broke at

///, SQrat-uf-'Imftn 275

every point 1 (Muir, Life of Mohammed \ pp. 258-261),

244. (of, the Prophet not to quit their post in any case). Ton, out of fifty
archers, stayed with their leader at the position assigned, the rest making for the
booty.

245. (the express injunction of our holy commander). 'The implicit
obedience which the troops of the Propnet paid to his commands, rendered their
discipline as superior to that of the imperial forces, as their tactics arid their arms
were inferior' (Fin lay, op. til., p. 355).

246. (with your own eyes)*

247. (in the way of your victory and the complete discomfiture of the
enemy).

248. i. e, } the forty archers who left their station for the booty.

249. (by pursuing the enemy and getting the booty). So that this 'worldlt-
ness 1 also was not for its own sake, and not in itself an entirety unworthy goal.

250. », e, t those who kept their places*

251. (pure and simple). A goal yet higher and nobler.

252. L e. t on which account; in consequence of your disobedience and lack
of discipline,

253. (and withheld the Divine aid from you),

254. (by misfortune, and test the endurance of your faith thereby). So that
this set-back too, was not in the way of punishment, but merely as a means of the
trial of faith.

255. This shows that the guilt of the forty impatient archers was intellectual
rather than moral — a gross error of judgment, and not a wilful rebellion.

256* {in utter confusion)* '

257. (far more courageous than any of you).

258. ('Whither away ? come back ! I am the apostle of Allah !').

259. i, e, t in recompense of the sorrow you caused to the Prophet, The
address is to the Muslims who (lagged at Ohud,

260. (in the future, by getting inured to steadfastness under adverse fortune,
O Muslims 1)

261. f, *., 'that you might accustom yourselves to endurance in tribulations,
and not grieve thereafter over advantages which escaped you, nor to harm wrtich
befell you/ (Bdh).

262. (and He requites each accordingly).

276 ^^ Pan IV

r g£fr-!' ; , rfJGi$

! __>^(JrUj@(^j*^ __

154. ( ))k i^ , . t Sj Then after grief, He sent down to you a security,

st umber coming over a section of you," 63 while another section, concerned about
themselves thought of Allah unjustly: the thought of paganism -** They said, 564
'have we aught at all of the affairs'? Say thou,*** 'the affair is wholly Allah's. 2 * 7
They hide within themselves what they do not disclose to thee,- * 1 saying, 5 * 9 had
we aught of the affair, we would have not been slain here,* 7 * Say thou; 'had
you stayed in your houses, even then those decreed to be slain would surely have
gone forth to their deathbeds," 1 And this has happened in order that He might
test what was in your breasts 272 and purge that was in your hearts; 273 and Allah
is Krtower of what is in the breasts. 474

155. ((ka-U- • . , j) As for those of you who turned back on the day the
two hosts met, 2 ' 5 it was Satan who made them slip because of something they
had earned,- 76 and assuredly has Allah pardoned them 277 Verily Allah is
Forgiving, 278 Forbearing, 27 *

SECTION 17

156. (^«_j , , , Ifcjb) O you who believe ! be not m like those who
disbelieve 2 * 1 and say of their brethren 282 when they 283 travel in the land 881 or go
to religious war: 2,86 'had they been with us, 28 * they had not died nor had they been
slain/ This is in order that Allah may cause an anguish in their hearts.* 1 * 7 And
it is Allah who makes alive and causes to die, 2 * 8 and Allah is the Beholder of
what you work, 288

157. ( .j,^ , . . jJUj) Surely if you are stain in the way of Allah or
die, 290 forgiveness from Allah and mercy are better than what they amass.* 81

263. The action over, the Muslims were by mid -day on the cliffs of Ohud,
and the Makkans in the plain below. It was now that some of the Muslims had
an agreeable and refreshing sleep. Surely nowhere is the blessing of sleep to be
appreciated more than in the battlefield after a battle in war.

///. Sural- ut 'f/nr an 277

264-. (questioning and doubting the Prophets'* promise of Divine inter posi-
tion and Muslim victory). The reference is to the hypocrites who could not conceal
their satisfaction, S^laLaJJ is a well-known synonym Tor the Arabian dark ages or
pre' Islamic Arabia, but an erudite Egyptian scholar has recently shown., as quoted
by Dr. Zaki Ah, that instead of its literal meaning, the word 'rather denotes
arrogance, ostentatioa. and contention which were prevalent among the Arabs before
Islam, in contradistinction to modesty, pious resignation conducive to peace, and
the advantage of good deeds over the nobility of pedigree, these being distinctive
features in the ethics of Islam.* (Zaki Ali, Islam in the World, p. 3. f. n.). According
to an European scholar of some considerable merit, the term f in reality means the
period in which Arabia had no dispensation, no inspired prophet, no revealed book.'
{Hittij op. cit., p. 87). 'It is the collective noun form Djahili, a pagan Arab/
(EI. I, p. 999). Cf. the NT:— 'And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but
now comrnandeth all men every where to repent/ (Ac* 17: 30),

265. (in great chagrin).

266. (O Prophet! unto them).

267. t. e. t the decision is entirely His: He does what He decrees what He
chooses.

268. (O Prophet !) i. e., they harbour inwardly disapproval and unbelief
while ostensibly ask for direction.

269. (when they are alone with one another).

270 *. e. f had our advice as to keeping within the town of Medina been
taken and acted upon, and had we had any discretion in the matter we would not
have moved, and our friends and relatives would never have been slain.

271. (since He has ordained all events and disposed them in His original
plan and none can reverse His decrees).

272. i. e., your sincerity or otherwise. Now begins a resume of the positive
benefits accruing from the Ohud reverse.

273. (from the Satan's suggestions).

274* (so that He is in no need of testing and sifting for Himself; all such
tests by Him are by way of demonstration — -for the purpose of making known to
others)*

275. (at Ohud)*

276. L e,, because of their previous shortcomings, since each transgression

induces another.

277* (owing to their repenting and asking pardon),
j

278, (*, *., He forgives sins ultimately).

279. L *., He does not hasten the punishment of the sinner, in order that he
may have yet time to repent.

280, (in your speech)*

281. (in their hearts, but pass for Muslims) i. <?,, hypocrites.

Part IV

1 SB. (^ySxnS . . . ^ijj) And whether you die 292 or are s!ain, aM assuredly
unto Allah shall you be gathered." 4

159 - (^tlfyttj] - • • U*i) !t was then of the mercy of Allah that thou
hast been gentle with them,* 86 and wert thou rough, hard-hearted, they had
certainly dispersed from around the©. 298 So pardon them thou," 1 and ask thou
forgiveness for them eBB and take thou counsel with ihem»» in the affair,*" and
when tiou hast resolved, 3 " put thy trust in Allah, 3 « Verily Allah loves the
trustful. 30 *

160. (^jjJUfJt • * ■ id) "H Allah helps you 30 * there is none that can over-
come you ; and if He forsakes you, 805 who is there that can help you after Him ? 3 " B
And in Allah let the believers trust.

161. djjOlij ♦ * . Uj) '* J 's riot the part of a Prophet 3 * 7 to hide anything
away; 309 he who hides anything away, 309 he shall bring forth on Day of Judge-
ment what he had hidden away; 510 then shall each on$ be repaid in full what
he has earned and they shall not be wronged. 311

162. (y^ajj . , . „$\) Is then he who follows Allah's pleasure 312 like him

who has settled under the displeasure of Allah? 313 — his resort is Hefl, 31 * and ill
is that destination.

292. (at home)

293. (in war)

294. Two things are thus made absolutely plain. First, the hour of death
is immutable. It cannot be avoided whether one is at home or abroad, in peace or
at war. Secondly, equally inevitable is the return of every soul to God. Why,
then, should death in the cause of faith be feared at all ? It ought rather to be
courted and welcomed as a sure road to eternal bliss.

295* (O Prophet !), i. e. f with those guilty of disobedience and indiscipline
at Ohud, Gentle dealing with those guilty of gross misbehaviour on the battle-
field resulting in a heavy disaster is perhaps unique in the annals of military
operations. Particle [^ is added for emphasis, and to indicate that the Prophet's

///. SGrat-ul-'Imran 279

282. The brotherhood may be either of descent or of religion.
283« i« ls. t the latter; their brethren.

284. (in the cause of Islam and happen to die).

285. (and happen to be slain).

286. L if,, if they had stayed with us and had not gone out.

287. The purport of the passage is : — Muslims I do not behave like the hypo-
crites iii uttering such blasphemies and in cherishing such foolish ideas. Whatever
was ordained by God in His infinite wisdom was bound to befall them. God is
only causing such beliefs as a matter of sighing and lamentation in the hearts of the
hypocrites.

288. i, e, t it is He who is the sole operator in the matter of life and death j
staying at home in peace or going out on war has nothing to do with either.
Speaking of 'the prayer culture' of the Muslim Arabs says an American
sociologist :— 'The solidarity of the group gave it great power, and its efficiency in
warfare was increased tenfold by the teaching of an absolute fatalism, which made
it futile for a man to seek to avoid death, and by the assurance that at the moment
of death in battle he entered paradise, there to dwell among its groves and foun-
tains/ (Denison, op. cit. t p. 376).

289. (so beware of imitating the hypocrites in thought and word £).

290. (while engaged in His cause.)

291. (of this world and its comforts). The meaning is: marching and
campaigning is not a thing that can bring about death or hasten the end ; but should
that occur in the path of the Lordj His mercy and forgiveness which you shall
obtain by such death are immensely better than what the others amass of this world
and its comforts by their life. Everyone journeying or fighting in the cause of God
shall be made a partaker of the delights of Paradise.

280 Port iV

leniency with his people was definitely an act of providential mercy.

296. 'The Prophet, always inclined to mildness . . ',» (HHW, VIII, p. 121).
'He never struck any one in his life .... He never first withdrew his hand out of
another man's palm, and turned not before the other had turned .... He was the
most faithful protector of those he protected, the sweetest and most agreeable in
conversation; those who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who
came near him Joved him/ (The Speeches and Table Talk of the Prophet Muhammad,
op. cit. t pp. 27-28). 'Cruelty was no part of Mohammad's nature' (LSK. p. LXX).
'Generous and considerate towards his friends, he knew, by well-timed favour and
attention, how to gain over even the disaffected and rivet them to his service ....
He rarely pursued a foe after he had tendered timely submission. His commanding
mien inspired the stranger with an undefined and indescribable awe ; but on close
intimacy, apprehension and fear gave place to confidence and love.' (Muir, op. ciL,
p. 27),

297. (on thy own behalf for their disobeying thy commands). It is reported
on good authority that the Prophet did not utter a single harsh word to those whose
misbehaviour had brought such disastrous result at Ohud.

298. (regarding what concerns God directly),

299. (as before).

300. i. e r) in the important affairs of the community, such as peace and war.
Note the essentially democratic character of the commonwealth of Islam. Even
the divinely -guided prophet is enjoined to establish, by his example, the practice of
deliberation in the community.

301. (on a certain course after seeking their advice).

302. (and do not put ofT action any more).

303. i. e. 3 those who put trust in Him and act accordingly. The adherents
of Islam, even non-Muslims observe, 'enjoy a consciousness of contentment and
resignation unknown among followers of other creeds. Suicide is rare in Muslim
lands.* (Hitti, op. cit., p. 129).

304. (as He did at Badr).

305. (as He did at Ohud).

306. i. e. t after desertion.

307. t, t. t it is incompatible with the office of a prophet.

308- On the division of booty at Badr a red night-gown was found missing.
Somebody remarked that it might have been taken away privately by the Prophet
himself. The remark was made either by one of the hypocrites out of pure malice,
or by some new convert to Islam under the impression that the Prophet had a
perfect right to do so. The Qjjr'an, in cither case, refutes the presumption
categorically, and regards the act absolutely unworthy of a prophet,

309. Ji is 'He acted unfaithfully; .... it signifies also, he took a thing
and hid it among his goods/ (LL),

///. SVtat-ui-' Innan *81

310. (and shall be publicly exposed ; with the curse and sin thereof he shall

be loaded)

31 L The argument in effect is this : ihos* guilty of corruption are bound to
undergo punishment and exposure, their doom is certain ; but the prophets arc due
to be exalted to the highest pinnacle of honour and glory ; how then can an act of
such infamy find a place in their spiritual equipment ?

312. {such as every prophet is bound to do). The Islamic conception of
prophethood is entirely different from the Biblical description of the prophets-
ascribing to them all manner of evil deeds and acts of the filthiest nature. A
prophet, according to the Quranic sense of the term, is himself sinless and pure
before purifying others.

313. (on account of his transgressions).

314. (as a cheat's abode is bound to be).

282 Pan IV

1 63. ( ..jJUxj *■■*») Of (//Verse ranks 316 shall be they 15 " with Allah, 317
and Aflah is Beholder of what they do. EJS

1 6 1 . (,yxj^ . ♦ * iVaJ) Assuredly has Allah conferred a benefit 31 * on the
believers 3 " when He raised up to them a messenger 381 from amongst them-
selves,*" who rehearses to them His revelations 383 and purifies them,* 24 and
teaches them the Book and wisdom, 32 " white they were afore 3 * 6 in an error
manifest. 337

165. (sjAj , , , UJ) Is it 32 * that when a reverse has befallen you, 3S * even
though you had inflicted twice as much, 330 you say: whence is this ? 331 Say
thou : it is but from yourselves. 332 Surely Allah is Potent over everything. 333

1 66- ( .yjfjs^fj^ , < . U«) And what befell you on the day when the two
hosts met 331 was by Allah's will, 836 and that He might know the believers.

315. (of reward and punishments, of grace and reprobation).

316. L t. t those who follow the pleasure of God, and those who earn His
displeasure,

317. (proportionate to their conformity with, and divergence from, the laws
of God).

318. So that He will recompense each according to his desert,

319. (immense and unparalleled).

320. The benefit of the mission is of course universal, but the believers are
specialized because they alone profit thereby.

321* (so eminent). See P. I, n. 589.

322. J. *., one of their kind. The word, according to a variant reading of
the Qur'an, may be read as *.^£j| , meaning 'from the noblest of them/ See P. I,
n, 590,

323. (and commandments)

324. (of superstitious beliefs and evil practices). See P. I, n. 593.

325. i, e, t the Sunnah. A prophet, in Islam, is not a mere medium, an

///. SOrat-uh'Imrln

283

inert, mechanical transmitter of Divine truths, but a teacher, interpreter, and
expounder or those profound truths. See P. I, n. 592.

326. i. e,, before his advent,

327, t\ e. t steeped in evil beliefs and worse morals.
The interrogation is expressive of reproach,
(at Ohud), **, e,, loss of 70 men,

(on the foe at Badr, where you slew 70 and took 70 prisoners).
L f,, how has this defeat come about, believers though we are ?
(by your disobeying the Prophet's command and leaving your station).

The promise of victory and Divine help was contingent on the Muslims remaining
steadfast and obedient.

333. t. *., He is able both to give help and to withdraw it,

334. (at Ohud),

335. (comprising many benefits not apparent on the surface).

329

330

332

284 Part IV

. 3

167. (^j^jjfj „ i . fX**>0 And tnat He might know who played the hypo-
crite. 330 And it was said to them/ 31 'come ye,** 8 and fight in the way of Allah
or defend, 33 * They said: 'if we knew it was to be a felt fight 340 we would
certainly have followed you.' 3 " Nearer were they 342 on that day to infidelity 3 "
than to faith, 31 * They say with their mouths what rs not in their hearts; 315 and
Allah knows best what they conceal.

168. f a^J^b ♦ , . .yjiJl) They say of their brethren, 346 while they them-
selves stayed 3 * 7 at home : 'had they obeyed us, 348 they had not been slain'. Say
thou ; 'then avert death from yourselves if you are truthful/ 34 *

169. (,{^)jv » . . H*) And reckon not thou 360 those slain in the way of
Allah as dead. 3 " Nay, they are alive,** 8 end with their Lord, 963 and provided
for, 3 "

170. ( -.Jtsu „ . , .j*^v>) Exulting in what Allah has granted them of
His grace, 36 * And they rejoice in those who have not yet joined them from
behind them, in the thought that no fear shall come to them, nor shall they
grieve. 36 "

171. (^kX^^J) . . . .j^&aXwj) They rejoice at the favour of Allah 36 ' and
His grace, 368 and that Allah wastes not the wage of the believers. 3 * 8

SECTION 18

1 72. f j^fe* . . , ^jiSJl) Those who answered to the calf of Allah and the
messenger 380 after the wound that befell them 361 — for those who did well among
them and feared Allah,™* shall be a mighty wage—

336. i. *., that the believers and the hypocrites might be discriminated
openly, and the faith of the one party and the infidelity of the other made clear.

337. I, e., to the hypocrites, 300 in number, when they were on the point of
deserting the Muslim army, before the action had actually commenced,

338* (in the battle-field).

339* L e., act as defences and help in repelling the enemy by sheer force of

///. Surat-ui-'imran 285

your numbers.

340. i. e., if there was going to be any tiling worth to he called a battle.

341. (but when the enemy is outnumbering yon by four to one, atid is far
better equipped than you, it is an act of madness to plutigo in so unequal a fight),

342. (even openly).

343. (which they were hitherto wont to dissemble).

344. (which they were hitherto wont to profess),

345. (so even this excuse of ihe dissem biers was a feigned one, the real
reason of their falling away being their Lotal lack of faith),

346. (by descent), L t., of the Muslims who hail fallen at Ohud.

347. (and kept aloof from the battle)

348. L e, t followed our counsel by staying at home.

349. i. e., It you are right in supposing that their death ensued only as a
consequence of their going to the field of battle,

350. (O reader !)

351. (like ordinary mortals),

352. (with a distinguished life).

353. i. *., ranked high with Him.

354. (with every provision befitting them).

355. i, e. t their high rank, their spiritual sustenance, and the like.

356. (if and when they too arc slain in the cause of God like themselves).

357. u *., in the recompense of their works. The first rejoicing refers to the
condition of their brethren, and this one to their own condition,

358. i. e. } an increment to their recompense.

359. A truth of which now they are having the actual experience.

360. (dutifully, and marched forth with him to meet Abu Sufyan and his
men' once again at Badr) ,

361. (at Ohud), One year after the Ohud catastrophe the Makkans under
the leadership of Abu Sufyan set out with 2,000 foot and 50 horse for Medina,
but only a day or two later their hearts failed them, and they retraced their steps.

362. (which as a matter of fact did all of them). ^ in +fk+, is merely
explanatory, emphasizing the two qualities mentioned, and not limiting the number
of the recipients of 'mighty hire.*

286 Part IV

1.73. (jUSpl . * * ,*!aJO And those to whom certain persons 3 * 3 said ;
verify the people 56 * have mustered against you, so fear them, it 365 merely increased
them in belief, 8 * 8 and they said: 3 " suffices us Allah, 3 * 8 and an excellent Trustee
is He. 86 *

174, (pjkt , . , Ij+JU^li) They then returned*' with a favour from Allah 371
and His grace. 373 No evil touched them, and they followed Allah's pleasure, 373
and Allah is Owner of mighty grace. 374

175, (gzJ^f* , . , Ut) It is only that Satan 3 " affrights you S7 « of his
friends; 377 so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are believers, 378

1 76, (*$£>£ ■ • • i 1 *) And let not those grieve thee 37 * who hasten towards
infidelity; 880 verily they shall not harm Allah 361 at all. Allah intends not to
provide for them a portion in the Hereafter, and theirs shall be a torment mighty,

177, (^j| . , . ^f) Of a truth those who have purchased infidelity for
belief™ 2 shall not harm Allah at all 383 and theirs shall be a torment afflictive.

363, (hired and bribed by Abu Sufyan, the pagan chief of Makka, for the
purpose of spreading terror among the Madlna Muslims),

364, i, t. f the Quraish.

365* i. e. t this alarming and disheartening news,

366. {instead of their being discouraged thereby).

367. (with their confidence in God redoubled).

368. (to protect us).

369. i. t. P an excellent object of confidence. Tt is recorded that when Abu
Sufyan went away from Ohud, he cried out, 'Mohammad ! our rendezvous is the
fair of Badr next year if thou wilt'; the apostle of God answered, c If God will.*
Then when the next year came, Abu Sufyan went out with the people of Makka,
till he alighted at Marra Zahran, where God cast terror into his heart, and he
went back. While on the return journey, some riders from *Abd Qais passed by
him making for Madfna, He promised them a camel's burden of raisins if they
discouraged the Muslims by circulating news of the Makkan supermacy. (BdhJ.
*Koreish engaged No'aim, of a neutral tribe, to repair to Madina, and there give

///. SVrat-u!~'fmran 287

Forth an exaggerated account of the preparations at Mecca in the hope that, with
the field of Ohud yet fresh in memory, the Muslims might be deterred from setting
out/ (Muir, op. dt. t p. 286).

370. (from Badr).

37 1* u <?., merit in the sight of God and safety and increase in faith.

372. i. e. t gain in merchandise. *Thcy carried with them great stores of
wares and merchandise for the annual fair. They maintained a standing camp at
Badr for eight days in defiance of Koraisb, and, having bartered their goods to
advantage, return to Madina' (Mttir, op. «*., p. 287).

373. (whereon depends the acquisition of the best of both worlds).

374. His munificence towards them was evident*

(1) in His confirming and increasing their faith,

(2) in His aiding them towards hastening to the fray,

(3) in their remaining firm and displaying courage against the
enemy,

(4) in His preserving them from anything that might hurt them,

(5) in their acquiring worldly gain, and

(6) in their assurance from Him of their reward*

375. (as personified in this instance by the hired emissary of the Makkans).
See n. 369 above.

376. {O Muslims!).

377. i, e. t those who follow him; his crew.

378. (indeed, as true faith implies that the fear of God shall be above the
fear of men).

379. I. e rj let not those be a cause of much concern to thee, O Prophet [

380. i. e. t the hypocrites, who at the slightest turn of scales against the
Muslims began to avow their unbelief openly.

381. :. e. t His faith. The principal cause of anxiety to the holy Prophet
was the thought that the hypocrites, by their constant machination, might retard to
a cert.;;.* extent the progress onwards of Islam and the Muslims. The verse sets at
rest his anxiety on this score.

382. (and who are enemies of Islam either avowed or secret).

383. (but shall only harm themselves).

288 , p an iv

►ip*" 1

178. (^^ . . ♦ lf ? ) And let not those who disbelieve think that We
respite them for their good: We respite them only that they may increase in sin; aM
and theirs s halt be a torment ignominious.

179. (fib* . . . ^(fU) Allah is not one to leave the believers 3 " in the
state wherein you are unless He has discriminated 3 " the impure from the pure.
And Allah is not one to acquaint you with the Unseen. 3 * T but Allah chooses him
whom He will 3 ** of His messengers. 369 Believe therefore in Allah and His
messengers; 395 and if you believe and fear, yours shall be a mighty wage.

1 SO. (^sk. . . , 1j) And let not those who stint 3 " with what Allah has
granted them m His grace consider that this*"* is good for them. Nay, it is bad
for them, and soon shall that with which they stint be hung round their necks 393
on the Day of Judgement And Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the
earth.** 4 And Allah is Aware of what you do, 3as

384. (as they grow in years).

385. (to continue indiscriminately mixed with the hypocrites).

386. (by means of repeated trials and tribulations)

387. (O mankind I) Such knowledge, for instance, as who is a true believer
and who is not. The hypocrites had said, * If Mohammad is a true prophet of God,
let him tell us which of us believes and which does not/

388. (out of mankind for this special knowledge; for a revelation of His
mind).

389. The rendering of this verse is rather difficult. Here the construction
adopted by Th. is closely followed,

390. Mark the catholicity of Islam. Even here the command is to believe
in apostles (in the plural), and not only in the Last Prophet.

391. (when it is incumbent upon them to spend),

392. i. *?., their niggardliness.

393. (In the . form of a serpent twisting about), 'They shall have that
whereof they were niggardly made to cleave lo their necks like the neck-ring: as it
is said in a tradition, it shall be made a biting snake upon the neck/ (LL)

394. i. e. f to Him belongs in reality everything that can be bequeathed from
one to another; so the niggardly really stint His own goods instead of spending
them in His way.

395. (so be sincere in your motives, and spend promptly on proper occassions) ,

///. SQrat-uh'lmran

, *»>£<. ______ ". . , *&&

ti&^Ji (^ <j*mjJ j _v_ .

SECTION 19

181. ( -:jy2»j[ * . . 6,li) Assuredly has Allah heard the words of those
who say: 390 'surely Allah is poor and we are rich.' Surely We shall write down 397
what they have said 3 " 8 and their killing of the prophets without right, 3 ** and We
shall say,*" 15 'taste the torment of the burning,'

l82 ' (a**#1> * ■ • —-Us) This is for what your hands have sent on before,
for venly Allah is no wronger of His slaves. 40 '

183. (^a* , . « rttf^fl) There are those who say:* 02 'verily God has
covenanted with us' 103 that we should not believe in a messenger unless he brings
to us an offering which fire shall devour.' 4 " 1 Say thou:** 5 'surely there came to
you messengers'" 06 before me with evidences and with what you speak of, 107 then
why did you kill them, if you are truthful?' 408

184. (j^JU! » i > ,jU) If then they reject thee, 408 even so were rejected
messengers before thee, who came with evidences 411 * and scripture and the
luminous Book.* 11

185. (rijtil . . . Ji) Every soul 4i - shall taste death" 3 and only on the
Day of Judgement you will be repaid your wages in full, 414 Then he who shall
be removed 41 * far away from the Fire and made to enter the Garden, indeed has
achieved the goal : and the life of this world" Is naught but an illusory
enjoyment.*"

396. (by way of ridicule). The reference is to the Jews. Banu Qainuqa*,
a Jewish tribe populating the outskirts of Madltia, followed ihe money-lending and
goldsmith's craft. They were invited to embrace Islam, and the Prophet wrote to
them exhorting, among other things, to %nd umo Allah a goodly loan* (quoting
Baqara : 245). Phineas Bin Azura, a leading Jew, thought it fit to make a fun of
the expression, and mockingly remarked, *Sureiy God is poor, since they seek to
borrow for Him.'

397. (in the rolls of the recording angels).

_ 29Q Part IV

398. (and We shall not let a saying so impertinent be passed over).

399. Those who had the hardihood to slay their own prophets wantonly were
not unlikely persons to utter words like these. See P, I, nn, 269, 270.

400. (when sending them to chastisement on the Day of Judgment).

401. (so this punishment also is only an outcome of the culprits' own
doings). J& though intrusion in this form is here synonymous with Jlfc ,

402. (inventing a lie on God). The reference is again to the Jews,

403. i, *., the race of Israel

404. i. e., God has charged us to believe in no apostle until he works this
particular miracle. Cf. the Bible :— 'And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all
the people. And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon
the altar the burnt offering and the fat/ (Le. 9 : 23, 24). Also Jn. 13 : 20-23 ; 1 Ki.
18: 38; 1 Ch. 21 : 26, 2 Ch, 7: 1. Fire thus came to be regarded by the Jews 'as
one of the agents of Divine will/ and Divine fires was expected to consume the
acceptable offering. (JR. V. p. 392), <In the ancient Jewish religion and many
others fire is the means whereby offerings are transmitted to the deity/ (EBr. IX.
p. 262), And it was also perhaps this deep-rooted superstition that led the Israelites
of later limes to offer their children as sacrifice to Moloch, the god of fire.

405. (O Prophet !).

406. (of your own race, O Israeli).

407. i. *, ? with that particular miracle. 'And there rose up fire out of the
rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes/ (Ju. 6:21). 'Then the
fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice/ (I Ki. 18:38). *Now
when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and
consumed the burnt offering and sacrifice* (2 Ch, 7: J).

408. The argument is : if it is the working of this particular miracle that
could generate belief in you, and your hesitating and refusing to believe in me is on
account of it, why then did you refuse to believe in those who had wrought it among
other miracles, and even made bold to slay them ?

409. (O Prophet!).

410. i. *., evident signs and miracles. This is to serve as a consolation to the
holy Prophet for the unbelief of his people and of the Jews.

411. (containing laws and ordinances). 'ZubuV are books confined to wise
maxims, counsels and reproofs,

412. (i r rcspe cti ve o f mer i t s an d demer i ts) .

413. Note that, in Islam, death is as natural a phenomenon as life, and a
necessary concomitant of animal life, as the word 'soul 1 implies. Death, perhaps,
had been known upon the earth long before the human species appeared and is in no
way connected with the 'original sin J of Adam, This corrects and contradicts the
Christian and the Jewish conception of death, Cf. the NT :— * Wherefore, as by one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men,

///. SUrdt-uJ-'f/nran 291

for that all have sinned/ (Ro. 5:12}. 'For the wages of sin is death/ (5:23),
'And sm, when it is finished, bringeth forth death/ (Ja. 1 : 15), So in Christianity,
'death is a punishment for sin .... and though the character of punishment is
wiped away in Baptism death itself remains as an effect of sin/ (CD. p. 283).
Death came through sin; and human death is the common lot of man, first because
of his own personal sin; and, secondly, because it is part or the inheritance which
Adam has transmitted to his descendants/ (DB, I, p. 841). And among the Jews,
'death was held to he the consequence of sin and a sinless person would necessarily
be immortal. "There is no death without sin'V (ET. p. 78). 'There are different
views among Jews concerning the cause of death. Some assign it to Adam's first
sin in partaking of the forbidden fruit. This view is somewhat modified by the
Rabbis, who regard death as the fruit of personal sin ; maintaining that, like Adam,
each person dies on account of his own sin/ (JE. IV. p. 483).

414, (O mankind !). So that if any one escapes punishment in this world he
is not to feel secure. The expression *in full* also suggests that some part of thn
wages may be paid before that day.

415- (altogether, or only after a brief sentence).

416. i. (., its pleasures and its delusions.

417. Or 'a vain bauble/ *.*., a deceptive ware; unreal, unsubstantial, as
compared with the everlasting Hereafter.

292 Part IV
*v& i$ ^__ ___ , r#2&

186, (jgtf) . . . yj^X+Xi) You shall surely be tried 118 in your riches and in
your Jives and will surely bear much injury 41 " from those who were given the
Book before you, and from those who join gods, 420 and if you endure and fear 4 - 1
Allah, then surely that 122 is of the commandments determined.

187, ( ..jXw.f . . ♦ al.) And re-cs/f when Allah took a bond from those
who were given the Book, you shall surely expound it J2a to the people and you
shall not hide it;* 24 but thereafter they cast it behind their backs, and sold it for 3
small price. 4 " Vile is that with which they have sold.* 3 *

188, ( ^j] , , , .i*uaaJ i 1 ) Imagine not thou 1 " that those who exult in
what they have brought, 4 * 1 and love to be praised for what they have not done,***—
imagine not thou that they 430 shall be secured from the torment. And theirs shall
be a torment afflictive. 431

189, (*jaj . > . «JUj) Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and. the
earth, 432 and Allah is Potent over everything. 433

SECTION 20

190, (i^LiJDl . ♦ . . l) Verily In the creation of the heavens and the earth 434
and in the alternation of the night and the day 436 are signs 43 * for men of under-
standing 4 " ■

418. (by God, O Muslims i)

419. L t. 3 many hurtful sayings in the way of ridicule of the Apostle and
other things provocative to a believer*

420. (with the One true God , so you ought to accustom yourselves to
patience and endurance and be prepared to meet these things when they come.

421. (to disobey God and to overstep the bounds of His law},

422. L *-> forbearance and fear of God.

423. L *., the whole of Our message*

424. *Teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons/ (Dt* 4: 9). 'We will not
hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the
Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done/ (Ps* 78 : 4),

III. SQrat-t/f-'Imran

293

'What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the car,
that preach ye upon the housetops/ (Mt. 10 : 27),

425. *. e. } the goods of this world.

426. (as leading to the everlasting Fire).

427. (O reader !).

428. (in the way of hiding the truth and concealing their sins).

429. (in the way of observing the bond and proclaiming the truth).

430. (who are guilty of suppression of many truths of their religion including
the prophecies about the holy Prophet).

431. (even in this world). Exposure of their forgeries, banishment, and
loss of life and property were some of the features of this punishment.

432. (and the governance of the affairs of mankind).

433. (and well able to punish the culprits).

434. The heavens and the earth are all created beings, and there h no such
thing as a Sky-god or an Earth-god, as held by several polytheistic religions. In
the Hindu cosmogony, for instance, 'both Heaven and Earth are regarded as gods
and as the parents of god even though they are said to have been generated by gods.'

(ERE. IV, p. 156).

435. Even 'night' and 'day,* like darkness and light, have been worshipped

as deities.

436. (of His Unity and of the perfection of His Knowledge and power and

other attributes).

437. The holy Prophet has observed : *Woe to him who reads this verse
and does not ponder thereon.'

294 Part IV

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191. ()lJJ1 . . . ^wjJl) Who remember Allah" 8 standing and sitting and
lying on their sides"* and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth; 440
our Lord I Thou createdest not all this in vain."* Hallowed be Thou!'* 42 save
us Thou from the torment of the Fire/"

192. (jL^I . ♦ . U*)) yr Lord 1 verily he whom Thou wilt cast into the
Fire, 4 ** him Thou has I surely humiliated, and for the wrong -doers there shall be
no helpers.

193. J)Wl| ■ - ■ *•*■?)) ^ ur Lord ' ver % we J we have heard a caller*"
calling to belief : believe in your Lord*. So we have come to believe Our Lord !
forgive us our sins,*" and expiate from us our misdeeds,** 7 and let us die along
with the pious.*"

194. (dUftjJi . , . U,)) Our Lord I grant us what Thou hast promised us
by Thy messengers, 4 " and humiliate us not on the Day of Judgement." Verily
Thou I Thou failest not the tryst. 461

438. (in thought and in words).

439. L e., constantly and in all attitudes and postures. The thought of God,
even according to the non-Muslim observers, occupies an 'abiding place'' in the
mind of every devout Muslim, 'The mere mention of any proposed activity or
even of the recurring phenomena of Nature is accompanied with the phrase "If
God will ;" and pious phrases such as, "God is great" are frequently upon the lips
of the devout, and are used to Fill up pauses in ordinary conversation/ {Arnold,
Islamic Jaith, p. 19) .

440. (to gain guidance and admonition). According to an authentic
tradition of the holy Prophet 'there is no form of devotion like meditation/

441. i. «., without some wise Plan and Purpose, fij^ in the context is *In
play, or sport; acting unprofitably ; or aiming at no profit/ (LL), This repudiates
the well-known Hindu doctrine of Maya calling the whole universe an illusion.
This also affirms the reality of the external world. The world as we perceive by
senses is real, not a phantasm of imagination.

Ill Stirat-ul-'fm&n 295

442. i. *. s far be Thou from creating it aimlessly as a mere sport.
4"43. This prayer of the believers is an outcome of their intense belief in
Him and His perfection.

444. (as his everlasting punishment). This eternal damnation of the infidels
is to be distinguished from temporary sentence of certain believers for the sake of
purification,

445. t. *.» the holy Prophet, whose call may have been heard either directly

or through others.

446. *. e. y capital offences.

447. t. e. t light offences,

448. (and be privileged with their fellowship and numbered in their

company).

449. f. «., Paradise and Thy Grace. The request is made obviously not out
of any fear that the promise may be broken, but out of sheer apprehension lest the
petitioner may not be one of those to whom the promise is made* due to some fault

of his own— a touching sign of deep devotion and humility.

450. L *♦, so make us enter the Paradise from the very start.

45 L (*". *., His promise to reward the believer and to answer him who prays

and implores).

296 Pan IV

195 (ljIj^JI . . f u*l»x*,U) Then did their Lord hearken unto them saying;
*l let not the work of a worker amongst you to waste, man or woman/ 5 * one of
you from the other. 4 " So 1 " those who emigrated and were driven forth from
their houses and persecuted in My cause, and who fought and were slain, 4 "—
surely I will expiate from them their misdeeds and surely I will make them enter'
into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, a reward from before Allah, 4 * 6 And
Allah ! with Him is the excellent reward,

196. (aitjjl , . . cOjJLj jr) Let not beguile thee** 7 the moving to and fro
in the cities of those who disbelieve 461 -

197. (at^jj . . , ^(j^J A brief enjoyment; 4 ** and then Hell shatf be their
abode; ill is that resort. 4 *

198. (jljjjri ♦ ♦ * ^)) But as to those who fear their Lord, 461 theirs shall
be Gardens beneath which rivers flow. They shall abide therein- an entertain-
ment"* from their Lord, and what is with Allah" 3 is still better 4 " for the pious.

199- (vlwaaJ) * ■ • yjU) And amon 9 the people of the Book there are
some who surely believe in Allah and In what has been sent down to you 48fi and
what has been sent down to them, 4 " humbling themselves before Allah,*" and
they do not sell the revelations of Allah at a small price."* These ! they shall
have their wage with Allah. 4 " Verily Allah is Swift at reckoning. 4 '

200 ' (uJJ *^ • • - WtO ° vou wh0 believe I persevere 47 * and excel in
perser vera nee 472 and be steadfast, 47 * and fear Allah, that haply you may thrive,

452. The word 'woman' needed special mention in view of the sub-human
status allotted to women in almost all ancient philosophies and religions.

453. The phrase is parenthetical, meaning that man and woman arc counter-
parts to each other and of the same human status. Remember that this truth was
proclaimed to the world not in the twentieth but in the sixth century of the
Christian era.

454. —to name only one, and the most prominent, of such good works — t

///. Surat-ul-tmrSn 297

455. The allusion is to the companions of the holy Prophet, who in addition
to their faith, deep and sound, cheerfully underwent such hard ordeals as are
mentioned in the text.

456. L e., out of His munificence.

457. (into thinking that they are approved of God, O reader!).

458. i.e., their journeyings for traffic; their seeking and enjoying the
pleasures of this world,

459. (is this). 'This present world in comparison with the Hereafter is like
one of you putting his finger in the sea, and let him see how much he brings out.'
(The holy Prophet).

460. (which the ungodly have prepared for themselves),

461. (and have accepted Islam).

462. (shall be this).

463. (of His eternal bliss).

464. (in quantity as well as in permanence than the ephemeral worldly
prosperity).

465. (O Muslims!).

466. i. e. t the Torah and the InjTl in their genuine and unadulterated state.

467. Humility thus is the predominant feature of their character.

468. u e. f do not corrupt their Books for the sake of some worldly gain.

469. (immediately ; without having to wait),

470. (and in recompensing),

471. (in the face of troubles attending on acts of piety and the afflictions
that may overtake you),

472. (the enemies of God) *. e, t outdo them in perseverance and endurance.

473. {with your bodies to face the enemy, and with your souls to face the
inner foe).

298 Pan IV

\3Mk&z&te

Sural-ul-Nisu

The Woman IV" 4

(Madinian— 24 Sections, 177 Verses)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
SECTION 1

t. (l»*5j . . . l$jb) O you mankind I fear Allah 476 Who created you 478
of a single soul,' 177 and He created from it 4 '* its mate," 7 " and out of the twain 4B *
He spread abroad manifold men and women. 481 And fear Allah 462 by Whom 4 * 3
you importune one another 481 and the wombs. 4 "* Verely Allah is ever a
Watcher 486 over you.* 81

2- (\ m $ . . . r^Jjj And give to the orphans 488 their substance, 48 " and
do not substitute the bad for the good. 490 and do not devour their substance by
adding ft to your substance; 481 surely that 4 " is a great crime, 488

474. The chapter is so named for its main theme is the subjects concerning
women,— their rights in general and laws of marriage, divorce, inheritance and
dower in particular.

475. i. e. t be ever vigilant in your duties towards Him, and do not disobey
His laws. The word ijj is suggestive of His great solicitude for us, and implies
that all His laws and ordinances are for our own good.

476. (all) i, e t , entire mankind, irrespective of sex, rank, age, colour, race
and nationality. This emphasizes the fact, so obvious and yet so often forgotten,
that man is a being created, and therefore stands sharply marked off from his
Creator, having nothing in common with Him, and is not joined with Him by a
chain of 'heroes/ 'incarnations/ demi-gods' and the like. Also, evolution, or no
evolution creation of man is the standing verity.

IV \ Surat-ul-Nisa 299

477. (and arc therefore children of a common ancestor)- The single soul
referred to is Adam. The Qpr*Sn here positively asserts the basic unity of mankind
and repudiates the doctrine of polygenism ascribing multiple ancestry to mankind,
and incidentally also does away with the idea of * castes'" or 'classes 7 as forming a
barrier to the common humanity. Contrast with this the Hindu conception that the
Brahman is a caste derived from the gods ; the Sudra is one derived from the
Asuras, or demons/ (ERE, XI, p. 915). Also see P. XXIII n. 431 ; IX. n. 346.

478. i. e. t from that single soul.

479. i.e., the first woman; Eve, or Hawwi This implies the essential
equality of men and women as human beings. It was not in Islam, but in
Christianity, to its eternal shame, that woman was considered 'an inferior, empty-
headed moron ; for several days in each month she was so unclean as to require
secluding like a laper. The Council of Trent, in the sixteenth century, was dubious
about her possessing asouF. (Love, Marriage, Jealousy, ed. A. Forbath, p. 371)
This council, let it be further noted, held from 13th December, 1545, to 4th
December, 1563, was one of the greatest significance in the history of Roman
Church, *It would be hard to exaggerate the importance of the council of Trent'
(C. D, p. 97). For the Jewish and Christian account of the creation of woman from
Adam's rib see Ge. 2: 18, 21-25.

480. t. *,, the said pair ; Adam and Eve, 'And Adam called his wife's
name Eve; because she was the mother of all living* 1 (Ge. 3 : 20).

481. This clearly means that all mankind is descended from one original
stock and from a single pair— a fact corroborated by modern anthropology.
Naturalists believing in evolution f will feel no doubt that all the races of men are
descended from a single primitive stock/ (Darwin, Descent of Alan, p. 273),

482. L #., beware of your duties towards Him.

483. i. *., in Whose name.

484. i» g t) *ye demand one of another your rights, or ducs. J (LL)

485. Or "kinship/ The word has direct reference to the high status of
motherhood and wifehood in Islam. Notice that the word is grammatically coupled
with God. Kinship in Islam is regarded as one of the most important social
institutions.

486. As He is the Creator of all and Preserver of all, so is He Watcher
over all alike*

487. (and over your dealings with one another),

488. (who happen to be in your charge). They were the children of those
who had lost their lives in the wars for the cause of Islam. The property of these
children was entrusted to the care of those who had agreed to become their
guardians.

489. (in full, when they come of age).

490. L €., do not act in such a way as to transfer to your own account what

300 Part IV

you find of value in their effects and to substitute something worse for them. The
property of these orphans was appropriated by the guardians, by tending the good
goats or camels of the orphan-wards along with their own herds, and then selecting
the bad ones as the orphan's share.

491. . jj sometimes 'occurs in the sense of ^ , when a thing is joined to

another thing/ (LL). ^| also shows that one thing is added to another I^Jj) or

(iL^Ui-dJ and hence we find it construed with $U to increase, augment/ (VVGAL. II,

p. 145) l^JJ U^ f^V! £* ^\ (IQ).

492. i. e., this appropriation and manipulation of the orphans' property.

493. 'One of the most commendable things which one finds in reading the
Qoran is the solicitude which Muhammad shows for the young, and especially for
such as have been deprived of their natural guardians- Again and again he insists
upon a kind and just treatment being accorded to children. And working upon his
words, the Muhammadan doctors have framed a system of rules concerning the
appointment and duties of guardians which is most complete, and extending to the
most minute details/ (Roberts, Social Laws qf the Qcrattt pp, 40-41).

M SUrat-ul-Nisa 3jM

3. (I^jjv . » . J j ) And if you apprehend 1 " that you will not be able
to deal justly 4 * 6 with the orphan-girls, then" 6 marry of other women 1 " such as
please you, by two, or three, or four, 49 * but If you apprehend 4 " that you shall not
be able to act equitably, 6 ™ then marry one on/y,* 01 or what your right hands
own.* 02 That 503 will be more fit that you may not swerve, 804

4. (Ujw» . . . \J\ ,) And give to women 605 their dowries 50 * as a gift, 607
and if they 603 abandon of themselves 108 aught of it 610 to you, then eat it in pleasure
and profit- 511

5. (I*.,** ■*■**) And do not 9 ive to the weak-witted 6ia the pro-
perty* 13 which Allah has made for you a means of support, 614 but feed them out
of it,* 15 and clothe them, and speak to them a word of kind advice, 51 *

6 (L^*a. . . . IjO^I .) And test the orphans 517 till they attain the age
of wedlock, 6 " then 510 if you perceive in them a discretion, 620 hand over to them
their property 621 and do not consume ft extravagantly or hastily for fear that they
may grow. 632 And whoso 6 ** is well-to-do, 624 let him abstain, 5 * 5 and whoso is
needy let him take from ft honourably. 528 And when you hand over their property
to them 6 " call in witnesses* 86 in their presence and Allah suffices as a
Reckoner, 6 "

494. {even in a light degree, O Muslims !)

495. (in regard to their dower and other conjugal rights helpless as they are
and in your charge).

496. ( — instead of taking those orphan- girls in marriage — ■).

497. 'Polygamy was the rule among the Eastern peoples before Mohammad's
time/ (Roberts, op. dfc, p.' 8). 'When we see thousands of miserable women who
crowd the streets of Western towns during the night, we must surely feel that it does
not lie in Western mouth to reproach Islam for its polygamy. It is better for a
women, happier for a woman, more respectable for a woman, to live in Mohammadan
polygamy, united to one man only, with the legitimate child in her arms surrounded
with respect than to be seduced, cast out in the streets- — perhaps with an illegitimate

302 Part tV

child outside the paleoflaw — unsheltered and uncared for to become a victim of any
passer-by, night after night, rendered incapable of motherhood, despised of all/
(Mrs. Annie Besant),

498. i. e„ the Muslim may marry of women such as are pleasing to him, two,
three or four, but not more* Sec Appendix at the end of the Surah,

499 t (in an appreciable degree).

500. {towards all wives).

501. Monogamy is thus the ideal; and polygamy is only allowed as a
safeguard against greater social evils. The often-quoted prescriptions for marriage
limit rather than introduce the practice of polygamy/

502. i. £., the slave-girls you legally possess, who do not require so large a
dower nor so plentiful a maintenance as free women do.

503. i. e. t your remaining content with one wife or a slave-girl,

504. (from the course of righteousness and virtue).

505. (themselves, and not to their fathers and guardians), as was the custom
in pre- Islamic days.

506. jJiX* of a wife 'a dowry or nuptial gift* is, in Islamic law, either a
sum of money or oilier form of property to which the wife becomes entitled by
marriage. 'It is not a consideration proceeding from the husband for the contract
of marriage, but it is an obligation imposed by the law on the husband as a mark of
respect for the wife as is evident from the fact that the non-specification of dower at
the time of marriage docs not affect the validity of the marriage/ (Abdur Rahim,
op. at. p. 334.) 'The payment of dower is enjoined by the law, merely as a token of
respect for its object, the woman, wherefore the mention of it is not essential to the
validity of a marriage/ (Hidaya), Thus it has no relation ro the 'purchase-money/
of pre-Islamic Arabia, handed over not to the wedded girl, but to the father or
brother or relative in whose guardianship she was,

507. i. e lf cheerfully and in good spirits. Uxsxi is synonymous with ^Uc t
meaning as a free gift/ (1Q,). This once again emphasizes that -A^o in Islam
is not to be confused with the price of the bride or the purchase- money so customary
in the ancient world. 'Marriage by consideration has prevailed in all branches of
the Semitic race. In Babylonia a suitor had to give to the father of his intended
wife a bride price or present. . . Among the ancient Arabs a bride price, a mahr, was
given by the bride-groom to the father or guardian of the bride, . . . Wife purchase
was the basis of Aryan marriage before the separation of peoples took place. In
Vedic times brides were won by rich presents to their fathers . , , , Notwithstanding
the prohibition in the Laws of Many, marriage by. purchase occurs to this day even
among high castes, and is frequently practised among the Sudras/ (Wcstcrmarck,
Short History of Marriage, pp. 166-169),

508. it #., the wives themselves, nor their parents or guardians,

509. i. *,, without any pressure or undue influence from outside.

IV. SQrat-uhNisl 303

510. (or the whole of it).

511. *V*., enjoy it with satisfaction and good conscience' (Bell). 'The
Arabic idiom for the enjoyment of property being to eat it up, the sentence might be
paraphrased "and if they are kind enough to remit any portion of it of their own
accord, then enjoy it, and much good may it do to you." (LL)

512. (even when they have attained to the age of majority, as they are
likely to spend away their property wastefully).

513. (which belongs to the orphan or orphans under your guardianship),

514. (all). Property, as a means of support and sustenance, is a thing to

be valued, and not to be lightly squandered. The pronoun refers to property in
general, and not to the particular property of an orphan. (Th).

515. The property of a ward is to be managed in a way entirely beneficial
to him, and in a way that the whole of it may not be consumed in poor-rate.
Capital, for instance, may be invested in trading. (Th).

516. (to the affect that this withholding of their property from them is in
their own interest).

517. (to find out, in the case of males, if they have intellect and capacity to
judge and act for themselves, and, in the, case of females if they have ability to
perform household duties).

518. L e. } the age of majority, which, in the Hanafi school of Islamic law,
is 18 years for boys and 17 years for girls.

519. L e,y after the ward has been so tested at the attainment of majority.

520. t. e.f maturity of intellect ; capacity to manage one's affairs.

521. (unless they are found even at that age wanting, either by nature or by
habit, in that discretion and judgment), 'A person though not an idiot, may be so
foolish by reason of weakness of intellect that his actions generally are not in accord
with what reason or commonsense would dictate, so that he wastes his property by
extravagance, and from incapacity to take care of it/ (Abdur Rahim, op, cit,
p. 245).

522. i. e,, when you see them growing up rapidly to years of discretion, do
not hasten to spend the orphans"' inheritance, seeing it is soon to pass from your
hands. Guardians are hereby warned against all forms of misappropriation and
embezzlement,

523. (of the guardians).

524. i. e. t is not in dire need of emoluments.

525. (entirely from touching the orphans* estate).

526. i. e.j no more than what will make sufficient recompense for his labour.
Guardians, if needy, are thus allowed wages, but not on a luxurious, lavish scale,

527. (on their attaining majority and discretion),

528. — to make the transaction formally legal and to avoid future litigation —

529. i. *., a laker of accounts. This is to make it clear that the main thing
is the guardian's purity of heart, his integrity, his fairness in dealings, and his
innocence before the Omniscient God. Galling in of witnesses is only a formal
matter needed for the courts of law, 'Consequently among the Muhammedans the
misappropriation of the estate of an orphan is regarded as one of the great sins, the
number of which is generally reckoned to be seven. 3 (Roberts, op. cit. p. 42),

304 Part IV

7- (UjjJ^ . . . Jl^u) To males 630 shaft he a portion of what their
parents ancj other relations may leave;*" and to females"' shaff be a portion of
what their parents and other relations may leave 6 * 1 whether it be small or large; 634
a portion allotted.* 36

8 - (ti 5 jjv* . . . !iSt j) And when those of kin are 666 present at the
division 617 and the orphans and the needy, provide for them 538 out of it 639 and 611 *
speak to them a word of kindness M1

9. (f*kg&«i . . , (j4m.&^ j) And let them" 2 beware who, should they leave
behind them a weakly progeny, would be anxious on their account, 6 " let them
therefore fear Allah 644 and speak 516 to them honourable words.*"

10. (Ijjlj^ * . . j_jl) Verily those who devour the property of the orphans
wrongfully, only devour fire into their bellies, and soon they shall roast \n the
Blaze.

530. (Whether minor or adult),

531. ' (at their death),

532. (whether minor or adult).

533. (at their death). This means that womanhood or childhood — sex or
infancy— shall be no bar to the inheritance as had been in the past not only in
Arabia but in many parts of the ancient world. 'The importance of this reform/
says Wherry, 'cannot be over-rated, '"Previous to this women and helpless children
might be disinherited by the adult male heirs, and thus be reduced to absolute
penury, for no fault but that of being widows and orphans/

534. And of this property women shall not be dispossessed when entering on
marriage, as was the law in many lands. Even in the much-vaunted Roman law,
'the great majority of women became by marriage, as all women had originally
become, the daughters of their husbands. The Family was based, less upon actual,
relationship than upon power, and the husband acquired over his wife the same-
despotic power which the father had over his children. There can be no question
that, .in strict pursuance of this conception of marriage, all the wife's property passed
at first absolutely to the husband, and became fused with the domain of the new

IV r Sural- u!-Nisa~ 305

family.'' (Maine, Early History of Institutions , p. 312: Murray).

535. This Islamic law of inheritance is a land-mark in the history of legal
and social reform; In pre-Islamic Arabia, women of all ages, and minor boys, had
no share in their husbands' and in their fathers* inheritance, on the principle that
they alone had the right to inherit who could bear arms. Thus wives, daughters
and sisters were excluded altogether, and so were minor sons and brothers. In
Islam the cardinal principle of inheritance is to distribute the property among all
near relatives, and not to have it centred in the hands of the eldest son— a wise and
effective check on capitalism.

536. i. t.j relatives of distant and remote degrees, and therefore not legal
heirs of the deceased,

537. (ofwhatisleft).

538. i\ e, t for the three classes who are likely to be expecting something for
them.

539. L e> t out of the portion allotted to the adults. No charity is allowable
out of the share of the minors. The injunction is only recommendatory, not
obligatory*

540. (if the estate is too small to allow of free gifts),

541. (expressing your inability and regret).

542. i. e., the heirs.

543. (and be solicitous for them). Calling to mind the plight of their own
orphan progeny, should they happen to leave them, they should be considerate and
solicitous for the right of other fatherless children.

544. (and refrain from hurting the orphans in word and deed)*

545. (to the orphans),

546. (with a view to comfort them ; or, for their good).

306 Part IV

- — •■■■■ '■ ■ j

. »&'' , i ^ejJ

— — — — j<#^I U*,ejy«j> |4^ ■ — -^

SECTION 2

11- (Ui<^ . . . *<a^«j) Allah enjoins you in the matter of your
Children;* 17 the male will have as much as the portion of two females, 4-1 - but if
they"* be females"' more than two, then they will have two-thirds of what he
has left, and if only one, she will have a half/ 51 and as for as hi®** 9 parents, each
of the twain will have a sixth of what he has left if he have a child; but if he has
no child and his parents be his heirs, then his mother will have a third, but if he
have brothers, then his mother will have a sixth; s/f ua after paying a bequest"*
he may have bequethed or debt.-"* Your fathers and your sons 4 "- you do not
know which of them is nigher to you in benefit : &B7 an ordinance thfs* si from
Allah " 9 Verily Aflah is Knowing, Wise. 5911

547. f. e., concerning their inheriting property.

Says Macnaughten, the author of Principles and Precedents of Mohammedan Law
in his Preliminary Remarks:- f In these provisions we find ample attention pair! to
the interest of all those whom nature places in the first rank of our affections; and
indeed it is difficult to conceive any system containing rules more strictly just and
equitable/ And Rumney, the an not a tor of Sirajiyya f a Muslim book of the taw of
inheritance, observes: — 'The Mohammedan Law of inheritance comprises beyond
question the most refind and elaborate system of rules for the devolution of property
that is known to the civilised world/ (Mahmuduliah, The Muslim Law of Inhcrilance,
Preface, p. i: Allahabad , 1934),

548, The underlying principle almost makes a new departure. Women and
minor males were denied inheritance not only in the pagan Arabia hut in the law of
the Bible also, 'women appear to have been universally and in every respect regarded
as minors so far as rights of property went , » ♦ ♦ Only sons, not daughters, still less
wives, can inherit/ (EBi, cc. 2724, 2728). Then the inequality between the share
of a son and that of a daughter in the law of Islam is more apparent than real.
'The share of the daughter is determined not by any inferiority inherent in her but in
view of her economic opportunities, and the place she occupies in the social structure

fV. SUrat-uf Nr'$$ 307

of which she is a part and parcel , . . While the daughter, according to Mohammedan
law, is held to be full owner of the property given to her both by the father and the
husband at the time of her marriage ; white, further, she absolutely owns her dower-
money which may be prompt or deferred according to her own choice, and in lieu of
which she can hold possession of the whole of her husband's property till payment,
the responsibility of maintaining her throughout her life is wholly thrown on the
husband/ (Iqbal, Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, pp. 236-237).

549. i. e>, the heirs.

550. (among the offspring of the deceased) i. «., daughters are the only

heirs.

551 . (of the total estate)

552. i.e., the legator's.

553. (these shares and quotas)

554. (recognized in law) i. e., not exceeding one- third of the total estate,
^.^ in legal terminology, is a transfer of property to come into operation after the

trsta tor's death.

555. (and also funeral expenses), Deduction of lawful bequests, debts and
funerary axpenses must, in all cases, precede the distribution of shares.

556. (both of (hem so equally near related to you).

557. i. e. t in point of benefit which may be either of this world or of the
Next.

55fl. (scheme of shares and quotas).

559, (so that this allotment of shares is not to be subjected to any human
alteration).

560, (so remembering His infinite Knowledge and Wisdom you need not
tax your brain as to who .should and who should not inherit your estate).

30 & Part N<

12. L^la, , ♦ « *d*) And you will have half of what your wives may
leave, if they have no child : BB1 but if they have a child then you will have a fourth
of what they may leave, after paying a bequest they may have bequethed or a
debt. And they 602 will have a fourth of what you may leave™ 3 if you have no
child, but if you have a child then they will have a eighth of what you may leave,
after pnying a bequest you may have bequethed or a debt. And if a man or a
women who leaves the heritage has no direct heirs but has a brother or a sister,
each of the twain will have a sixth; and if more than one, 5M then they 566 will have
rquaf shares** 8 in one-third after pnying a bequest they may have bequethed or a
debt without prejudice: 667 an ordinance tnis from Allah;" 8 and Allah is Know-
ing,™* Forbearing.* 70

13. (*4&aJ! . - i O.t) These are the statutes of Allah, 671 and whoever
obeys Allah and His messenger, 572 him He shall admit into the Gardens beneath
which rivers flow, m abider therein; and that is an achievement mighty,

^ 4 * ta*^ * • • o-* i) And wfloever disobeys Allah and His messenger,'
and transgresses His statutes, 5 " him He shall cast into the Fire, as an abider
therein, and to him shall be a torment ignomlnous.

561, (either by yourselves or by your wives* former husbands).

562, f. e< t the wives. In this point at least, the Quranic legislation is
acknowledged to be 'in advance of* not only 'the greatest number of barbarous
societies' but also 'the Bible/ For, it recogni7es 'the right of a widow to inherit
from her husband „,-,„, The Bible was lass kind to the widow. . . It does not place
her among her husband's beirs. The Jewish widow was a charge on her children,
or, if 'die had none, on her own Family.* (Letourncau, Evolution of Marriage,
pp. 259-260),

563, In the case of a plurality of wives that one-fourth will be equally
divided.

564, {brothers and sisters).

565, i, g. t brothers or sisters.

IV. SUrat-uf-Nm 309

5G6. This equality of shares between males and females is an exception to
the general rule of giving a male twice as much as a female, 'Where/ notices a
Christian writer on the Muslim law, c a deceased man's parents, brothers and sisters
are entitled to only a small share of the inheritance, that share is to be equal to all
without distinction of sex. ' (Roberts, &p t cit. p. 66).

567, (to the heirs, either in 'deed or in intention),

568. (and therefore all these laws are to be implicitly obeyed).
5G1>. (so that He knows the obedient from the disobedient).

570. (so that He does not punish the disobedient immediately),

571. (and arc therefore not to be taken lightly). Allotments here set forth,
coming as they do from the Almighty, are not to be subjected to human interference.

572. (complying with these commandments of His).

573. (by denying these commandments altogether, or considering them of
no binding value).

310 p vt tv

SECTION 3

15, (3L*«, . . . j&\ j) As for those of your women 571 who may commit
whoredom," 5 call against them 676 four witnesses 5 " from among you ; ST » then if
they testify, 8 ™ confine them 880 to their houses, 591 till death completes their term
of fife,*** or Allah appoints for them some other way.* 83

16- (L*&.j ♦ . . ,jli\ J And as for those twain 88 ' of you 5 * 5 who com-
mit it, hurt them both; 58 * then, 567 if they repent 596 and amend 58 " turn away from
them, 590 surely Allah h Relenting" 1 Merciful, 588

1?> (LaC^ . . . Ul) u Pon Allah is the repentance of those 3 * 3 who do
an evil 6 " foolishly 505 and then repent speedily; 686 surely it is they to whom Allah
shall relent 597 And Allah is Knowing, 538 Wise. 596

18. (L^j] . . , ^^jj ? ) And repentance 600 is not for those who go on
working evil 861 till death presents itself to one of them,* 8 * and™ 2 he says : 'now I
repent* ; nor for those who die while they are infidels. These I for them We have
prepared a torment afflictive.

574. (duly married) i «., wives,

575. l&sJj in its general significance is 'an excess ; an enormity ; anything
exceeding the bounds of rectitude.* but when particularized, signifies 'adultery or
fornication/ and, in the context, evidently means an act of adultery.

576. The evidence in the case of adultery must be, according to the law of
Islam, ocular, not hearsay or conjectural, known in modern legal phraseology as
'circumstantial.' Every possible safeguard is taken against hasty and false accusations,

577. Who must be males, adults (not children), free men (not slaves) and
of sound mind,

578. The witnesses must be Muslims, not infidels.

579. (assuring that they saw with their eyes the actual carnal conjunction)

580. i. *,, the adulterous wives,

581. (by way of punishment). The address here is to those in authority.
among the believing community, and not to husbands or citizens in general.

V, SOratuf-Nfsn 311

582. This was the penalty imposed in the, beginning of Islam,

583. (through His Apostle). This other punishment was later on ordained
by the holy Prophet as follows r— maidens to be scourged with a hundred stripes,
and married women to be stoned to death.

584. (whether men or women, married or unmarried). The enactment here
is general. It speaks of any two persons guilty of the act, In contradistinction to
'married women' of the previous verse. In several nations, as among the Greeks
and in the earlier period of Roman history, there was no recognition of the offence
of adultery, 'unless a married woman was the offender/ (EBr, I, p, 234),

585. i", s.j from among the adult Muslims of sound mind.

586. The form and the extent of 'hurt' (punishment), in each case, are to
be determined by those in authority. The enactment held good previous to the law
revealed jn sunt un-Nvr.

587. i. g, t after undergoing the punishment, and not without it,

588. f (and are contrite over the past).

589. i. fi.j mend their ways for the future,

590. i. if,, persecute them and reproach them no further. This letting them
alone is after their undergoing the punishment. No mere repentance, however deep
and sincere, can before an Islamic court of law do away with the punishment for an
offence violating the rights of men, as distinct from the rights of God,

591. (so that He has now accepted their repentance).

592. {so that He has now forgiven them).

593. i. e. y of those alone He promises to accept the repentance. Repentance
has for its elements ; —

(i) enlightenment of the heart,
(n) detestation of the sin,
(i») a resolve to avoid it in the future,
{to) an earnest crying for God's forgiveness.
It has both a negative and a positive aspect — a turning from sin, and a
turning to God. A penitent must not be taunted with his past. In the ethics of
Islam, the penitent is superior to the sinless,

594. (whether capital or minor),

595. Or 'ignorantly/ i, c, sins committed in a fit of passion ; in a moment
of forgetfulncss ; without clear consciousness of guilt

596. (as soon as their guilt is brought home to them).

597. (in forgiveness and mercy)

598. (so He knows whose repentance is genuine and sincere).

599. (so He decides in accordance with His universal Plan, whose repen-
tance is to be rejected).

600. i. f., its acceptance by Him.

601. (and having committed it once, never feel sorry for thefr sin).

602. (and the Hereafter has begun to unfold itself before him).
603> (at that moment ; when on death-bed).

3ia Pert IV

19. (I^is . . I^jQ) you who believe I it is not allowed to you that
you may heir the women'" forcibly, «* nor shut them trp"" that you may
take away from them part of what you had given them/<* except when they are
guilty of manifest indecency." 08 And live with them honourably; 6 ** if you dislike
them/ 10 perhaps you detest a thing and yet Allah has placed abundant good 511
therein. 015

20. (tU** . . . ^Ij) And if you intend to replace a wife by another, and
you have given " the one of them 814 a talent/" take not back anything of it ,«"
Would you take it back by sfander and manifest sin, 017

21 . (li^JU * . . i-£*f,) And how can you take back* 16 when one of you
has gone in to the other," and they" have obtained from you* 51 a rigid bond. 5 "

22. (^**o . . ♦ JL) And wed not of women those whom your fathers* 59
have wedded/ 4 * except what has already passed.** 5 Verify that has been an
indecency and an abomination and an evif way/ 2 *

604. (as you used to do in prc-Islamic days). In pagan Arabia, widows
were divided amongst the heirs of a deceased as goods and chattels. Immediately
after a man died, his son or heir would cast a sheet of cloth on each of the widows
(except his own mother), and this signified that he had annexed them to himself.
Nor was this treatment of the widows confined to Arabia, Even in Greco-Roman
civilization, the married woman at Athens 'was part of the paternal patrimony/
and 'the dying husband could leave her by will to a friend, with his goods and by
the same title/ and 'at Rome the wife was bought and subjected to the terrible
right of the marital manus" (Letourneau, op. ciL p« 261). 'The widows . ♦ . . were
regarded as part of the estate, and as such passed ordinarily into the hands of their
husbands' heirs/ (Roberts, op, ciL pp. 62-63). The heirs, in such cases, either
married the widow to some one else and kept her dower, or refused to let her marry
unless she redeemed herself by paying off handsomely, or else married her himself.
One verse of the Qur'an was sufficient, as by one stroke, to sweep aside all such
barbaric customs — a reform of truly revolutionary character.

605. 'Forcibly* is a mere statement of fact, not a condition precedent The
practice of taking widows in heritage was actually carried on against their will.

IV. SUrat-uI-Nisa '■ 313

Then} is no suggestion here that the practice would become any the more lawful if
the widows submitted to it willingly,

606* (in some part of the house so that they may not marry others).

607. Unscrupulous and covetous husbands, in the days of paganism, often
used to harass their wives by imprisoning them in their houses for nothing, in order
that they might be forced to claim separation and thus to relinquish their dower or
their inheritance. This evil is here put a stop to.

608. (such as doing harm to the person or property of the husband or his
family). As the fault in such cases lies with the woman, so it is she who must
relinquish her dower, whole or in part, to obtain separation.

609. This is the basic principle, in Islam, of men's relation with their wives.
Their faults and foibles are to be tolerated, overlooked;, and an attitude of conside-
rateness towards them is to be maintained. To view the same truth biologically :— -
'Woman will never be able to overcome these handicaps which are deeply rooted in
her physical nature .... Anyone familiar with the physiology and biology of
woman wilt be less annoyed and irritated at her sudden changes of mood, allegedly
unreasonable flares of temper,, her unmotivated acts. Understanding this, man will
deeply sympathise with the bearers of the egg cells who, having the same aspirations
and claims upon life, are burdened with more difficult biological tasks/ (Nemilow,
Biological Tragedy of Womm t pp. 187-188).

610. (for no wilful fault of theirs),

611. (material as well as spiritual).

612. Insistence upon justice, goodwill and fair treatment of the wife will
thus be found to be the essence of the matrimonial code of Islam, *The law of
Islam concerns itself with the happiness and well-being of the wife in a way in which
no Christian country does."

6 J 3* (either in payment of dower, or as free gift)

614. i. «,, the first of them.

615. i". e,, any good sum, be it ever so big.

616. (nor force her to relinquish it, whole or in part, in your favour). .

617. L e.} by giving out a false report of immorality, in order to escape the
necessity of forfeiting the dowry. The pagan husband, when he desired to replace
his old wife by a new one, was wont to accuse the former, falsely and maliciously,
of some gross immorality, and thus forced her to obtain a divorce by parting with a
large sun; of her money. J.£,_, is 'a false accusation of adultery against a woman. *

618. i. #., what justification, in law and in morality, have you for withhold-
ing from them the money you owe them or for taking it back from them after you
have paid it to them ?

619. i, e,, after the consummation, either actual or presumed, of marriage.
Consummation is presumed when the pair have been together under circumstances
that may give rise validly to the inference, and is technically known as 'valid

314 _^___ Paft lV

retirement/

620. i. e. , the wives.

621. t. e,, the husbands.

622. (of paying ihrm their dower- money). Tins is an additional argument.
How can you go back upou your word ? Note thai this has been the law of Islam
for 140Q years— centuries before the West could hear of a Married Woman's
Properly Act !

623. {or grand fathers).

624. Widows in pagan Arabia, along with the estate of the deceased, passed
on lo the eldest son, and he very often married any of them he liked. Sec iui.
604, 605 above.

625. t. «,, worry not about the past, he on your guard in the future*

626. {morally and spiritually).

IV. SOrat-uI-NisS 315

■J*

r4®uL

SECTION 4

23. (Ua^> . * . u^ja.) Forbidden' 127 to you are your mothers 528 and your
daughters* 29 and your sisters* 30 and your father's sisters 931 and your mother's
sisters, m .and your brother's daughters 633 and your sister's daughters,* 3 * and your
foster mothers 055 and your foster sisters, 835 and the mothers of your wives 9 " and
your 3tep-daughten» m that are your wards, 699 born of your wives to whom you
have gone in, but if you have not gone in to them, no sin shall be on you, 6 ** and
the wives of your sons 611 that are from your own loins, 843 and ateo that you should
have two sisters together, 613 except what has already passed. 614 Verily Allah is
ever Forgiving, Merciful.

627. (as wives)* So mom age with them would be not only sinful but also
illegal — null and void ab initio — creating in fact, as in law, no civil rights and
obligations whatsoever.

628. (and all their ascendants). The grounds of permanent prohibition are
three : — consanguinity, affinity and fosterage. *By reason of consanguinity a man
cannot marry any female ascendant or descendant of his or the daughter of any
ascendant, how high soever or of any descendant how low soever, or the daughter of
his brother or sister or the daughter of a brother's or sister's daughter, and so on.
On the ground of affinity he Is debarred from marring a woman who has been the
wife of any ascendant of bis, any ascendant or descendant of the wife if marriage
has been consummated, or of any woman with whom lie has had unlawful connection
and any woman who has been the wife of Ms son or grandson. Generally speaking
fosterage induces the same limits of relationship prohibitive of marriage as consan-
guinity/ (Abdur Rahim, op. cii. p. 329).

629. (and all their descendants),

630. (whether from the same parents or not).

631. (as also all sisters of paternal ascendants).

632. (as also all sisters of maternal ascendants).
633* (and all brother's descendants).

634. (and all sister's descendants).

3 16 gg lv

635, ii *., those women who have suckled you. So the tic of milk is as much

a bar to marriage as the tie of blood.

636. L <r>, sisters by fosterage, whether it is their mothers who have suckled
you or it is your mothers who have suckled them*

637, (and all the female ascendants of your wives).

638, (and all the female descendants of your wives),

639. {as is usually, Chough not invariably, the case).

640. i\ e., step-daughters born of such wives are not forbidden.
6-11 . (as also the wives of all your male descendants).

C42. (and not your sons by adoption),

643. * Sisters -1 here includes foster-sisters.

644. i. e. t what took place in the days of paganism, previous to the revelation
of the Qur*an, would be forgiven.

IV. Surat-ut-Nisl 317

, * ' * "~~ — < > — ■

PART V

24. (L*jfo* . . . ui-sA-ssaJk) And 1 3/so forbidden are the wedded

among women 2 save those whom your right hands possess: 8 Allah's ordinance
for you, And allowed to you is whosoever is beyond that 4 so that you may seek
them with your riches, 11 as properly wedded men, 6 not as fornicators.* And for
the enjoy ment* you have received from them, give them their dowres stipulated.*
And there wilf be no blame on you in regard to aught 3 " on which you" mutually
agree after the stipulation IS Verily Allah is Knowing," Wise."

1. The conjunction couples this verse with the words 'forbidden unto you
are' in the preceding verse.

2. This repudiates the extreme communist doctrine that, within the
community, every woman may be the wife of every man, and any man could
cohabit with any woman, as also the custom in many sevage tribes of lending and
exchanging wives, 'The custom of lending wives is wellnigh universal among
savages 3 (ERE. I, p. 125), though for different reasons, Westermarck frequently
refers to 'the custom of lending wives being found among many peoples in different
parts of the world/ (Short History of Marriage, p, 14) ^^ originally signifies a
fortress, and i^Ijukkv* means, in the first instance, only 'women who are fortified or
fenced in/ a<lJU*a»jJl : * m tnc context, signifies married women, or women having
husbands. The word strongly suggests the idea of chastity and purity.

3. (as slaves). ^LjJ i^JUU literally 'those whom your right hands
possess/ signifies in the context, 'such married women as shall come in your posses-
sion as prisoners of war,'— war being the chief source of the acquisition of slaves,
male and female. Such women, when not taken back on payment of ransom or
otherwise, are to be lawful as wives, even though their previous marriage has not
been formally dissolved, — religious warfare in itself being sufficient to sever previous
ties. According to the Hanafl school of law it is not lawful to take such women as

318 _____ Pan V

%vives whoso husbands also are captured, or are in slavery with tlicm, A bondwoman
must at the time of her capture be an unbeliever. ^Though the creation of the
status of slavery in a public right, once it has been brought about, it becomes
transmitted into a private right in the nature of property. Hence though a Muslim
cannot be made a slave, yet if an infidel slave becomes Muslim, ho still remains a
slave, for otherwise the proprietary rights of the master would be affected, 1 ('Abdur
Rahim, op, ciL t p. 246), See also P, IV. n. 502 ; P. XVIII, n. 8.

4. i, e>, all other women as wives.

5. i. e., by paying them their dower-money.

6. i, e. t as those who take their wives in marriage in its proper legal form,
with at least two witnesses to attest, and with intent to permanent companionship.
The institution of marriage sanctions sexual relationship between a man and wife for
the propagation of the human species and for the promotion of love and union
between the parties, Sanctity of marriage is one of the leading features of Islamic
Jurisprudence.

7. This rules out as un -Islamic all forms of temporary and 'companionate*
marriages where lust is the sole motive. 'Real satisfaction/ says an American
observer, *comcs not from mere sexual experience but from a relationship which is
lasting and continuous and which is built on feelings of affection, devotion and
tenderness/ (Pollens, *The Sex Criminal') p. 196).

8. (as your wives)*

9. Any sum can be stipulated as dower, although it is always desirable to
keep tt within reasonable bounds. 'She or her guardians may stipulate at the time
of marriage for any sum, however large, as dower. If no sum has been specified,
she is entitled to her proper dower (j^ .^_ that is the dower which is customarily
fixed for the females of her family/ ('Abdur Rahim, op, dt., p. 334). ^J when
used in its plural form y^A and with reference to wives, is not 'recompense* or
'hire*, but 'A dowry, or nuptial gift ; a gift that is given to, or for, a bride/ (LL).

10. i.e., any change in the amount of the dower-money.
11* U9* t the husband and the wife,

12. (by either increasing the sum or relinquishing it in part or in full).

13. (so He knows well your inmost feelings and varying circumstances),

14. (so He en ads laws according to your needs and requirements).

M Smt-.ukNtea 319

25. f^^, * ^ And he among you who has not the affluence so
that he may wed believing free women, 15 let him wed such of the believing
handmaid 16 as the right hands of you people 17 posses. And Aflah knows well
your belief , J * the one of you* 9 is as the other. 2fl You may wed them,* 1 then, with
the consent of their owners.- 2 and give them" their dowers &g properly 2 * wedded
women, s6 not as fornicatresses, nor as taking to themselves secret paramours."
And when they have been wedded, if they commit an indecency, 57 on them 29 the
punishment shall be a half of that for free wedded women, 20 This 80 is for him
among you, who fears perdition; 31 and that you should abstain 33 is better for you. 33
And Allah is Forgiving, 31 Merciful. 25

SECTION 5

26. {,>*&* , ; ; lVjjj) Affah desires to expound to you 3 " and to guide you
into the institutions of those before you 37 and relent towards you. And Allah is
Knowing, Wise

- 27. (U^ . . . *1J1,) And Allah desires 53 to relent towards you, and
those who follow their fusts 39 desire that you shall" Incline" a mighty inclining.

28. (\j^*j> , ♦ . ajjj) Allah desires that He shall lighten things for
you, 42 and 48 man has been created a weakling,"

29. (U^) - ■ • I^jL*) ° vou who believe! devour not your property
among yourselves 415 unlawfully/ but let there be a trading among you by mutual
agreement/ 6 and kill not yourselves. 47 Verily Allah is to you ever Merciful. 4 *

15. (who required considerable sum of money for the payment of her
dower as well as her support and maintenance). f Shc is entitled to be provided
with proper Accommodation separate from the husband's relations and to bo main-
tained in a way suitable to his own means and the position in the life of both. If
lie refuses or neglects to maintain her she can pledge^his credit .... She is further
entitled to the payment of her dower/ (*Abdur Rahltn, o. p. «f., p. 334),

1G. (whose dower-money and upkeep would naturally cost much less).

320 p d n V

— —- — — \ ^ ,, , i .

17. i.e., the Muslim community,

18. (which is the only test of merit with Htm) i.e., He alone knows whose
faith is great and strong, and whose is little and weak. So that it is easly conceiv-
able that a bondwoman might be more honourable with her Lord than her free
husband. This implies as exhortation against holding' bondsmen and bondswomen
in contempt.

19. — whether free-born or slaves.

20. Le. t you as Muslims belong to the same honourable community, and as
human beings have sprung from the common progenitor. Why, then, should a
free-bom among you fear any loss of dignity in taking a bondwoman as his wife ?
Here is another little neat sermon on the equality of the free-born and the slave in
Islam,

21. i.e., the Muslim bondswomen.

22. (who have proprietary rights in them).

23. i.e., the handmaids themselves, as understood by Imam Malik; or, the
owners of these handmaids, as interpreted, through an implied word M by other
jurists.

24. Mark the implication of the word. The dower is to be paid to hand-
maids as to the wives, in the proscribed, legal, honourable way, not as hire to the
whores and harlots.

25. Notice the high ideal of chastity and purity pervading the entire system
of these enactments.

26. As was customary with bondswomen in pre-Islamic Arabia.

27. Which here signifies an act of fornication or incontinence.

28. Who have not the same advantages of sound education, 'good up-
bringing, etc., as the respectable free women enjoy,, and are therefore not subject
to the same degree of responsibility. The corruptions of life under which a slave
has to work and live makes it plain that, while purity is always hard to attain,
slavery makes it far more difficult.

29. Which means that the guilty slave-wife shall receive 50 stripes*

30. i.e., this permission to marry slave-girls.

31. (in consequence of fornication) i.e,, who for want -of a respectable
free-born wife fears to fall into the sin of adultery and is anxious to avoid it.

32. (altogether, and practise self-restraint).

33. As it obviously is from the stand-point of good breeding and preservation
of high descent.

34. (so that in any case and circumstance He overlooks and foregives your
marrying a slave-girl).

35. (so that He has not forbidden such alliances).

36. (His ordinances for your benefit).

37. (by recounting their tales, in order that you may be both warned and

V. SQrat-ul-Nisa 321

cheered).

38. (by the ordinances of the Holy Qur'an as well as by its narratives),

39. t.*., the infidels.

40. (like themselves).

41. (from the right path)*

42. (your burden). He seeks not only to confer benefits on man but also to

make light his burden.

43. i.e., for; because.

44. i.e., subject to be inclined by desire; unable, if left to himself and
unaided by Divine guidance, to avoid pitfalls. So Providence, in His infinite
mercy and wisdom, has chalked out a way for htm, safe, straight atid free from
dangers,

45. i,e. t do not consume one another's property. Every believer's property
ts his own. Islam totally rejects the communistic doctrine of the state ownership of
all property,

46. Trade, in the code of Islam, thus receives not only full permission but

atso approval and merit.

47. This interdicts suicide in at! its forms, and has led a famous Christian
writer to observe : — 'Suicide, which is never expressly condemned in the Bible, is
more than once forbidden in the Koran." (Lecky, History of European Morals, II,
L mdon, 1869, p. 56, \ +£»*&] may atso be taken in a collective sense. The rendering
in that case would be : 'And slay not one another/ This would make the life of a
believer as intrinsically inviolable as has been made his property in the preceding
part of the verse,

48. (and so Ho promulgates laws and ordinances so beneficial to mankind).

322 Part V

30. (|*jt«j * • * h^ j) And wfl oever does that" in transgression™ and
wrong," him We will soon 52 roast in Fire, and with Allah that is ever easy,

31. (Ljj5 . ♦ . |f) If you shun the grievous sins from which you have
been prohibited. We will expiate from you your misdeeds, 83 and make you enter
a noble Entrance.

32. (LJLc . . . 5! ,) And do not covet 54 that 5 * wherewith Allah has
excelled™ one of you" above another.* 8 To men 5 * sha/f he the portion 6 * of what
they earn," and to women*- sh&fi he the portion" of what they earn. 01 And fil
ask Allah for some of His grace c,e Verily Allah is Knower of everything. 67

"^ [JdkjM^ « ' ■ tj^*) Arid t0 everyone We have appointed inheritors** 1
of what the parents or relations leave behind, 00 and to them™ with whom you
have made your pledges 71 give them their portion. 72 Verily Allah is ever a
Witness over everything.

49. i,e, t com mi tfi m it rd er or si i i eld e .

50. i\*;, overstepping the bonds of the law; without justification*

51. i.e., with deliberate criminal Intent; not through an error of
judgement.

52. i.e., at his death.

53. i.e if minor offences.
54* (O men and women !)

55. *,&, the inborn excellence implanted by nature, not that which can be
acquired,

5G. (without any exertion on your pari). This explodes the myth of the
absolute equality of mankind, Some classes of mankind are surely privileged with
superior brain or superior physical strength.

57. i.e., the male sex.

5o\ i.e., the female sex. That in the scheme of life the role of the male is
different in many fundamentals from that of the fern tie is recognised by the modern
sciences of Biology and Psychology alike, 'The desires and conduct of the two sexes

IV, SOmr-ul Nfsa 323

arc m>l similar, buL are complementary and reciprocal. In courtship the male is
active ; his role is to court, to pursue, to possess, to control, to protect, to hive.

The role of the female is passive Consequent on thu fundamental difference* are

certain others. For pursuit, greater ardour is necessary than for mere reception ;
and the courting activity of the male is> throughout the whole animal kingdom,
more ardent than that of the female ; and this greater ardour ii connected with
certain other differences.' (Merrier, Conduct and its Disorders Biologically Considered,
pp. 289-290). *We have seen that a deep difference in .constitution expresses itself
in the distinctions between male and female, whether these be physical or mental.*
(Thompson and Gcddes, Evolution of Sex, p. 286). f It is generally true that the
males "are more active, energetic, eager, passionate, and variable : the females more
passive, conservative, sluggish, and stable.* (p. 289). c Man perhaps even down to
the protein molecules of his tissue, cells, is biologically different from woman. From
the very moment of sex formation in the embryo, the biological dusting of the sexes

develops along entirely divergent paths Wp must recognize the unquestionable

existence of the biological inequality of the sexes. Tt goes deeper and is of far
greaser import than it would appear to those not familiar with natural science.'
(Nemilov, Biological Tragedy of Women, pp. 76-78). 'Will it be possible Tor woman's
emancipation Lo remove those differences between man and woman which are
rooted in their innermost beings? Even the most rabid advocates of woman's rights
must accept the undeniable fact that woman bears children , not man ; that woman
menstruates, not man. It remains equally true that these primitive functions will
always be a hindrance to complete, emancipation, though they do not preclude
advance and improvement in the intellectual and social position of women,, which
every fair-minded man willingly recognises as necessary .... According to Mrs.
Hawthorne, home is the woman's great arena, and wilt, she hopes, remain so.
There she can exercise a sway that no king or emperor can rival. And it is com-
patible with culture, intellect and earnestness. I should like to cry aloud to the
modern woman: Educate yourself; dedicate your time to science ; take part in the
thoughts and occupations of men, but do not seek to do so as he does. For you will
never be his equal, even as he never will be your equal.' (Bloch, Sexual Life in
England, pp. 48-49), 'I venture to prophesy not only that the inherent differences
between the sexes will not tend to diminish in the course of evotution but that man
will continue, as now and in the past, to emphasise them by custom and convention.'
(Julian Huxley, Essays in Popular Science, p. 63).

59, (however, in spite of their physical and mental superiority).

60, (in the Hereafter).

61, (through their moral acts), i, e, t in matters spiritual men as such can
have- no advantage over women,

62, (despite the terrible natural handicap they suffer from).

63, (in the Hereafter).

324 Part V

64. (through their moral acts). The purport is : iti spite of many and
varied differences between men and women in their physical and mental make-up,
in matters of spiritual grace and in acts leading to moral perfection, there is no
disparity at all between the two sexes. In God's sight as responsible moral agents
both are equal*

65. (if you are keen on acquiring merit in His sight.)

66, (in matters of your moral perfection and spiritual development, instead
of longing for absolute equality in physical and mental equipment).

67 t (and He shall judge and requite each one of His creatures according to
his or her merit).

68, i. *., legal heirs, blood relations ; not heirs by compact. The Arabs
used to enter into a contract that, on the death of one of them, the surviving party
to the contract would be a heir to the deceased. The verse rules out alt such heirs.

69, In pre-Islamic Arabia, succession was either by blood relationship or by
adoption, or by compact. This last system, which was allowed by the holy Prophet
in Madlna for some time, is hereby annulled, and is replaced by the system of
blood relationship.

70, j\ i. t persons not your legal heirs.

7L (for a share of inheritance). 'The next class of heirs in the order of
succession are m^i\ j^, or successor by contract, that is, a person with whom the
deceased entered into a contract that he would be his heir, such person undertaking
on his part to pay any fine or compensation to winch the deceased might become
liable.' (Abdur Rahim, op. dt., p. 349),

72. (which is fixed as one-sixth of the total estate).

IV. SDrat-ui-Nisa 325

, SECTION 6

34. flj^,S * . . J^-pO ^ en are overseers over women, 73 by reason of
that wherewith Allah has made one of them 71 excel' 5 over another, 7 * and by
reason of what they" spend of their riches. 7 * So 79 the righteous women are
obedient 80 and watchers 61 in husbands' absence by the aid and protection of
Allah/* And those wives whose refractoriness you fear,* 3 admonish them* 4 and 8S
avoid them in beds and** beat them; 87 but if they obey you, 88 do not seek a way
against them, 6 * Verily Allah is ever Lofty, Grand. 3 "*

35. (\ja#L ■ ♦ ■ „J j) AncI ' f y° ul)J * ear a break 82 between the pair," set
up 84 an arbiter from his family and an arbiter from her family; then if the pair* 5
seek amity 9 * Aflah shall bring harmony botween the two.* 7 Verily Allah is ever
Knowing, Aware. sa

36. (IjiaU - . . \yM*\ .) And worship Allah, and do not join aught"
with Him; 10 * and to parents show 101 kindness and also to kinsmen and orphans
and the needy and the near neighbour and the distant neighbour and the compa-
nion by your side 104 and the wayfarer and those whom your right hands possess. 103
Verily Allah does not love the vainglorious 101 am/ the boastful 10 *—

73. Compare the attitude of the Bible towards woman ; — 'Unto the woman
he said . . . thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee/
(Gr. 3:16) 'Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church :
and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ,
so let the wives be to their own husbands in every tiling/ (Eph. 5 : 22-24). A |j
is, in the parlance of modern sociology, a protector or guardian of the family, and
this is a position to which man is by his very nature and constitution entitled, *A
connected result of male superiority in strength, activity and courage is the element
of protection in male love, and of trust on the side of the female/ (ERE. VIII,
p, 156). That the functions of the husband and fattier in the family are not

326 Part V

merely of the sexual and procreative kind, but involve the duties of supporting and
protecting the wife and children, is testified by an array of facts relating to peoples in
nil quarters of the world and in all stages of civilisation/ {WesU-rmarck, op cii.,
p. 23), 'Among the lowest savages, as well as the most civilised races of men, we
find the family consisting of parents and children, and the father as ils protector and
supporter/ (p, 7) 'Until recently women were typically engaged throughout youth
and maturity in conceiving, bearing, feeding, .-nursing, transporting and burying
infants. From girlhood, women were attached to infants. The period of gestation
for a human infant is long. Once horn, it must be carried upon Lhe back and fed
from the breast for a long time, under primitive conditions. Its birth constitutes an
ordeal for the mother, in the course of which she may be crippled, at least for
enough days to suffice for starvation unless ministered to by others . . . How to
master the uncertain food supply, ravenous wild beasts, hostile tribes, storms and
cold is a hard puzzle for a creature carrying heavy children within and upon her
body, year in and year out. There is, nevertheless, a way to open this hard cage,
that will lead to sustenance and shelter without sacrifice of the child. This way
is to get the protection of those who are not cumbered with burdensome generative
systems. Thus if men could be induced to supply subsistence women could live with-
out killing or abandoning their infants. At the same time, men were motivated by sex'
attraction, by the luxury of having routine labours performed for them, and doubt-
less by pity, to undertake the protection of women and of the helpless offspring to
which they were mysteriously subject. Thus men, women and children came to be
arranged in family groups, in which men wer'e inevitably lords and masters, because
they needed the arrangement least,'' {EBr. IX, p. 61). In the words of the German
philosopher, f>. Von Hartmann, from the moral standpoint, "the greater number
of women pass the whole of their lives in a state of minority, and, therefore, to the
end stand in need of supervision and guidance" (quoted in Kisch's Sexual Life of
Woman, p. 153). In the beautiful summing up of D. H, Lawrence, 'Primarily and
nn primarily, man is always the pioneer of life, adventuring onward into the
unknown, alone with his temerarious, dauntless soul. Woman for him exists only
in the twilight by the campnYc when day has departed"' {quoted in Reader's
Maxim Currents in Modern Science, p. 192). And according to a modern French
writer and thinker : — 'Women can direct great business enterprises, and some do
with astonishing skill, but the role does not suit them. One of the most successful of
these made the following admission : "Do you know that I J ve always wanted to find
a man who could lake over my job ? Then I would be his assistant, and what a
marvellous assistant I could be if I loved htm !" *It must be recognized that women
are excellent assistants rather than original creators. Woman's real creation is her
child . . . Even those who arc forced by circumstances to play men's roles play them
as women. Queen Victoria was not a great king, but a great queen acting the
king/ {Andre Maurois, An of Living, pp* 49-50).

IV. SQrat-uhNisl 327

74. i, e. t Lhe male sex.

75. (by thfir very nature and constitution),

76. i. *., the female sex. The very word 'woman*, in English, 'etymologt-
cally meaning a wife ♦ . , sums up a lot>g history of dependence and subordination,,
from which the women of today have only gradually emancipated themselves in
such parts of lhe world as comn under Western civilization/ (F.BR. XXVI II',
p, 782, 1 lth Ed.), The word alludes lo 'qualities attributed to the female sex, as
mutability j pr oneness to tears, or physical weakness; also to their position of inferio-
rity or subjection/ (SOED. II p. 2443),

77, (. e. t the husband.

78- (for the support and maintenance of their wives and as their dower).

79. L e,, as recognizing the obvious truths of nature,

80. {lo thfcir husbands).

81 ► (of the honour and property of their husbands).

82. To mark its special merit, this act of obedience and watchfulness on the
part of women is ascribed to the grace of God,

83. This evidently refers to another class of wives, entirely different from
the first, cvil-natured and given to misbehaviour.

Si. (in the first place). ,

85. as the next step, if exhortation and verbal warning have proved
unavailing,

86. as the last rcsoit ; in stubborn cases, after milder methods have failed.

87. The fact must not be lost sight of that the Holy Word is addressed to
peoples of all ages and of all grades and stages of social evolution ; and it may well he that
a remedy that is unthinkable in a particular grade of society is the only feasible and
effective corrective in another. Beating is not after att so incompatible with law and
considcratcness as it appears at first sight. Among the natives of New Mexico 'women
have to prepare the food, tan the skins, cultivate the ground, fabricate the clothes,
build the houses, and groom the horses. In return for this, the men, whose sole
occupations are hunting and war, beat their wives without pity/ (Letourneau op «f,,
p, 132). Among peoples of a lower class of culture the subjection of woman is
extended even to brutality. This flagrant proof of dependence is felt by woman
even with sexual pleasure and accepted as a token of love/ (Kaaft-Eltng, Psythopa-
thia Sexuatis, p, 211). In certain stages of society this beating is even sought and
keenly desired. European critics, before venturing to ridicule this Quranic
permission (not recommendation), would do well to ponder over the prevalence of
fiagellomania in their own countries. Though 'a specifically English abuse it was
widespread among all ranks and ages, it formed one or the most interesting features of
their sexual life/ It is equally true that 'flogging, beating and whipping have been
practised as punishment everywhere in the world since the dawn of history, both
among the civilised and the savage/ (Bloch, Sexual Life in England p. 320).

328 : Part V

'England was at one time the classic land of flagellation/ (**.) 'The spread of
flagdiation-mania among people of every rank and age in English society affords
further evidence that it was a specific national quality and not a passion limited to
a small circle of sensualists and the like/ (#,, p. 322). For the sexual -aspect of
flagellation see Croft's The Cloven Hoof, (pp. 95, 96). "Nietzsche's famous saying
is well-known ;— ■" When you go to a woman forget not your whip." .In the Slavic
countries beating the woman is a part of man's regular love procedure. Benvenuto
Catlini reports a particular instance in his famous autobiographic memoirs : (Forhath,
'Love, Marriage, Jealousy, pp. 192-193). <Among the Slavs of the lower class the
wives feel hurt if they are not beaten by their husbands ; the peasant women in some
parts of Hungary do not think they are loved by their husbands until they have
received the first box on the ear; among the Italian community a wife if not beaten
by her husband regards him as a fool/ (Havelock Ellis, quoted in ERE. VIII,
p. 156). Even now in England working-class women receive thrashing by their men
who 'generally make excellent husbands/ (Ludovici, Woman, p. 154. n). 'The
Englishman's privilege of beating his wife with a stick not thicker than his thumb,
has become rather favourite, Of. Sinclair, Sylvia's Marriage/ p. 13. Further, it is
contended by Freud and his disciples that masochism is part and parcel of feminine
nature. *Helene Dentach has elaborated Freud's assumption and generalized it in
calling masochism the elemental power in feminine mental life. She contends that
what woman ultimately wants in intercourse is to be raped and violated, what she
wants in mental life is to be humiliated ; menstruation is significant to woman
because it feeds masochistic fantasies ; childbirth represents the climax of masochis-
tic satisfaction/ (Homey, New Ways in Psychoanalysis , p. 110).

88. i, g., submit to you and mend their ways.

89. t. e. } do not seek excuses and pretences for harassing and ill-treating

them.

90. (so think of your own duties towards your Creator, and do not be too
exacting towards your wives).

91. The address here is to the Muslim community in general.

92. (which cannot be made up by the parties themselves).

93. i. e t) the husband and the wife.

94. (in order that the differences may be composed).

95. L t., two arbitrators.

96. (and are earnest and sincere in their mission of peace).

97. i, e, s the husband and the wife,

98. i. e., well Aware of their inmost thoughts and feelings.

99. (in worship and adoration).

100. (either in His Person or in His Attributes).

101. 'In fact, in almost every group of legislative revelations a place is given
to the respect due to parents. 'The greatest importance is attached in the Qpran to

IV, SUrat'Ut-NisZ 329

filial piety.' (Roberts, op. tit., pp. 46, 48),

102. i. e. } the travelling companion ; the companion in a journey, no matter
what the duration of that companionship be,

103. Nctc that all these injunctions to be good and kind to one's fellow-
beings are coupled with Lhe duty to worship the one true God and to shun idolatry.

104% 1. e. f proud in his heart.
105. 1. e. t vain with his tongue.

330 Part V

ft.-

37. (U^,* . . * jjjAJl) Those who are miserly and bid people to miser-
liness, and conceal what Allah has granted them of His grace; 106 and We have
prepared for the infidels 107 a torment ignominous;

38. (Ujjjf . . . ,jjjJl*) And those who spend of their wealth to show
off to men, 1M and do not believe in Allah nor in the Last Day; and whoso has
for him Satan 109 as a companion, a vile companion has he,

39- (l*6.U . . * liU ,) And wnat narm would befall them were they to
believe in Allah and the Last Day and spend out of that wherewith Allah has
provided them? And Allah is ever Knower of them. 11 *

40. (L*J?j! * • . .if) Surely Allah does not wrong any one a grain's
weight 111 and if there is a virtue He will double it and give from His presence a
mighty wage, 112

41, (!*J^5*i . * . i-ktXi) How will it be then, when We bring, out of
each community, a witness, 113 and We will bring thee 114 against these 1 " as a
witness?

106, (either in the form of wealth or in that of Divine knowledge such as
the Jews were endowed with),

107. The word .jof here may also be taken in its original meaning, *the

ungrateful* i. *,, unresponsive lo the many Divine favours conferred on mankind,
(Th.).

10&, The sentence is coupled with * Allah loveth not one who is vainglorious,
boaster' in verse 36.

109. (the arch-seducer) .

1 10. i. €., of their virtues and misdeeds.

111. (by either punishing an innocent person, or by not rewarding in
full any good action), God being ** hypoihest the sole Author and absolute Master
of every being, subject to no superior will or higher law, no action of His can, in
any conceivable circumstance, be unjust or iniqutious. What is meant to convey
here is that even according to the human standard of justice, His judgments are
never unjust, gjo Jilt* signifies the smallest measure,

112. So transparently Benign and so infinitely Merciful is He 1

113. (to bear testimony to the rejection of His message by them). This
witness would, in each case, be the prophet sent to the particular people.

114. tO Prophet!)

115. (people who are thy contemporaries).

/. SBrat-ut-Nisa 33 1

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42. (Virfjua. « . . 3JU 4 j) That Day those who had disbelieved and dis-
obeyed the Messenger would wish 115 that the earth would be levelled over them.
and they will not be able to hide any discourse 117 from Allah,

SECTION 7

43. (l^ii , . . ygj you who believe I do not approach prayer white
you aredrunken 11 * until you understand 111 what you say, 120 nor yet while you ore
polluted, 121 save when you are wayfaring, 1 " you have washed yourselves. 12 * And
if you are airing* 5 " or on a journey 12 * or one of you comes from the privy 126 or
you have touched women/" and you do not find water 128 then betake yourselves
to clean earth and wipe your faces and your hands with ft** 9 Verily Allah is ever
Pardoning. 130 Forgiving." 1

44. ( J+ Am )\ . . . *jj) Hast thou 1 * 2 not observed those 1 " to whom was
given a portion of the Book"' purchasing" 5 error, 136 and intending that you 137
would err as regards the way? 138

45. (t ? *«3. ; . ► . aJuI,) And Allah is Knower of your enemies 13 "; suffices
Allah as a Friend, 1 * and suffices Allah as a Helper. 141

116* {in their extreme anguish and consternation).

117. (and they would have no option but to make clean confession) ,

118. (the slate of intoxication being absolutely incompatible with the
worship attitude).

119. I, t r , you are able to understand well, to comprehend fully.

120. The prayers at their appointed hours being obligatory, the injunction
not to pray when drunk evidently leaves Utile room for indulgence in drink. The
verse as the first step towards prohibition was revealed sometime before the
command came for total abstinence.

121. L *,j after the emission of seed, either in waking or in sleep, and there-
fore under an obligation to perform total ablution or bathing.

122. For which case provision is made in the next sentence.

332

Part V

123. *\ e„ have performed a total ablution or bathing. Physical cleanliness,
in Islam, is a situ qua nan for moral and spiritual purification.

124. (and the use of water is likely to aggravate or prolong disease),

125. (and water is not obtainable nearby).

126. In which case a fresh wudkti, or ablution of face is obligatory Tor

praying purpose.

127. i, e. t have had intercourse with them, which makes bathing obligatory.

128. (for use) i. e,, whether it is unobtainable or injurious to health.

129. i e., by clapping palms of hands twice on clean dust and passing them
over on hands up to elbows and face as if they were being washed by water. The
process is technically known as ^j .

130. i. *►, And so His injunctions are never burdensome.
131 ♦ And so He enjoins only what is easy to bear.

132. (O reader !).

133. *. *., the Jews, and specially those learned in their religious lore,

134. By a portion of the book is meant the Torah. The word 'Jkiok* is

here used in a generic sense,

135. The word 'purchase' implies their choice and deliberation. Their guilt

is not accidental but intentional.

136. t. <?., deliberate unbelief and infidelity.

137. (also, O Muslims').

138. Not content with their own wrong-hcadedness, the Jews are also
endeavouring to lead the Muslims astray,

139. (who would lead you oft the way).

140. (so He warns you against them).

141. (so the Muslims need not be over-anxious).

IV. SUrnt-uf-Nfsa 333

46- (ijii . . . ^yj\ Among those who are Judaised 142 are some who
pervert words 113 from their meanings and say: 1 " 'we have heard and we dis-
obey' 1 " and 148 'hear thou without being made to hear', and RA'INA 147 twisting
their tongues 1 '* and scoffing at the faith. And had they said: 'we have heard
and obey' and: 'hear thou', and 'UNZURNA,'" 9 it surely had been better for
them" and more upright. 161 But Allah has cursed them 162 for their infidelity.
So they shall not believe, save a few. lw

47- (y^A..* . . . LfcAj \ you who are given the Book"* believe in what
We have sent down 165 confirming what is with you, before We change faces,"*
and turn them upon their backs, 167 or We might curse them even as We cursed
the people of the Sabt, 15S and Allah's command is ever carried out"*

48- (l^kc . . , -ji) Surely Allah will not forgive that aught be joined
with Him, 160 and He will forgive" 1 all else" 5 to whom He will." 3 And whoso
joined aught wJth Allah, 184 he has certainty fabricated a mighty sin. 1 * 5

49. (lux! . . . *'0 Hast thou" n not observed those who hold themselves
to be pure?" 7 Nay, it is Allah who purifies 168 whom He will, 169 and they shall
not be wronged a whit 179

142, And they are the enemies spoken of,

143. i. e. t they dislocate and corrupt the very words and passages of the holy
texts, alter their sense, and twist their rendering. The Holy Qur J an was riot the
first to charge the Jews with the falsification of their Scriptures. Even Justin, in
the beginning of the second century of the Christian era, charged them 'with
immorality and with having expunged from their Bibles much that was favourable
to Christianity. These charges were repeated by the succeeding Christian polemists,
(JE. X, p. 103). Modern Jewish theology of the Reform school not only admits
Hhe human origin of the Holy Scriptures' and recognizess that *the matter recorded
is sometimes in contradiction to the proved results of modern historical, physical, and
psychological research/ but also arrives at the following conclusions : —

(1) *Tlie ancient view of a literal dictation by God must be surren-
dered. 1 '

334 p ^ tv

(2) 'The scors and writers of Judea must be regarded as men with human
failings, each with his own peculiarity of style and sentiment'/

(3) And that though f tlie prophet and sacred writer were under the
influence of the Divine Spirit while revealing, by word or pen, new
religious ideas .... the human element in them was not extinguished,
and const?quently, in regard to their statements, their knowledge, and
the form of their communication, they could only have acted as
children of their age. J {JE. VI. pp. 608-609). So the fallibility and
the human origin of the Jewish Scriptures are self-confessed.

144. (in pride ami conceit).

145, See R I, n.403.

14G. Thus they said, when addressing the Holy Prophet, by way of
imprecation.

147, Sec P. I, no. 466.

148, The Jews, unchastened, used language of banter when addressing the
Holy Prophet — words bearing a good sense in Arabic, hut really spoken by them in
derision and ridicule according to their meaning in Hebrew. *Not satisfied with
tormenting Mohammed with questions on Torah which they were always wrangling
about themselves, they took hold of the everyday formulas of Islam, the daily prayers
and ejaculations, and twisting their tongues, mispronounced them so that they meant
something absurcd or blaphcmous/ {LSK Intro., pp. LXII-LXTT1). 'Political
inferiority, indeed, compelled them to disguise their hatred ; but their real feelings
transpired in various ways, and among others in expressions of double meaning.
(Muir, op, cit. cit., p. 327).

149, See P. I, n. 467 fT.

150, i. t. t condusive to their own good,

151, I. t. t meet and proper in itself.

152, L e., has cast them away from His special grace and mercy.

153, (and those few will find their way to Islam),

154, i. *., Taurat.

155, (now) i, <?,, the Holy Qur'an.

156, (beyond alt recognition).

157, t, e., back parts of their faces. Or the phrase may mean : 'before we
make faces to be like the backs of necks. ' (LL). The passage emphasizes the liability
of the culprits to these penalties, although the Divine mercy may never have
permitted the actual infliction of the sentence, (Th).

158, i. e., the violaters of the Sabbath. See P. I, nn. 291, 292,

159, (so beware of your persistent misbehaviour).

160, (so that the polytheist is doomed to punishment, extreme and everlast-
ing). Notice for the hundredth time an indescribable enormity of the sin of
polytheism, 'Throughout whole of Muslim theological literature the heresy most

IV SGrat-ul-Nka 335

dreaded is that of shirk, or giving" to God a partner, and the exposition of the? Being
of God is set forth in such a way as always to emphasize His absolute Unity/
(Arnold, Islamic Faith, pp. 5-6) ♦

161. (wholly or in part).

1G2. i, <r,, all other sins, whether capital or minor.

163. (in accordance with his universal Plan),

164, i, e., gives Him a co-partner in any form whatever.

1G5. t. f. t the most heinous of all sins; and it is this extreme heinousness or
sin that would lead him to eternal perdition.

166. (O reader!)

167. i. e>> holy, free From all sins; children of God, or claiming special
relationship with Him.

168. i, #.j it is He alone who can and shall purify,

!60. (and obviously it shall please Him to purify the believers, not the
infidels).

170. i. e, t the punishment of the guilty ones will only be commensurate with
their guilt, and will not exceed it.

336 Part V

50, (\}44* . . . Jhi\) Look! how they 171 fabricate a lie against Allah, 174
and enough is that 173 as a manifest sin.

SECTION 8

51. ( HjL.^- # , „ ji) Hast thou 3 ' 11 not observed those to whom is given
a portion or the Book 111 testifying to idols and devils, 1 '* and speaking of those
who have disbelieved ! 1W 'these are better guided as regards the way than the
believers'? 1 '*

52 - (l^v * . . utfJ,l) Those are they whom Allah has cursed, and
whom Allah curses," 9 for them thou shall not find a helper. 380

53. (\y^J ... J) Have they a share In the kingdom? 1 * 1 If so, they
will not give mankind 168 a speck. 183

54. (Uhjl&c . ♦ . A) Or do they envy the people 184 on account of what
Allah has granted them out of His grace ? ,8S So surely We granted the house of
IbrShTm 188 the Book and wisdom and We granted them a mighty kingdom. 1 "

55. [\y.Kf^ , . . ^kj) Then among them were some who believed in
It 1 " and among them wore others who turned aside from it 18 * and enough is
Hell as a Flame,

171. i. e, t the infidels, specially the Jews.

1 72. {by implying that God approves their methods of infidelity and impiety.

173. j, £., their audacity in imputing to God an approval of sin and unbelief.

174. (O reader I)

175. 'A portion of the genuine Divine Book' is Taurat; and the reference
is to the parties of the Jews who out of their inveterate enmity of Islam and the
Holy Prophet, had gone over to the idolatrous Arabs and formed alliance with them.

176. (by their conduct and attitude). Their poets and poetesses wrote
'satirical verses on the battle of Badr, 3 and by their verses 'stirred up the Kuraish
at Mecca,* (JE. VIII, p. 646). ^JU$-> here is not 'believing 1 . It must be translated,
as the context makes it amply clear, by some such expression as 'testifying 31 ,

N. SDrat-uf Wsa 337

'preferring' or 'having a partiality for*. The Jews did not actually declare their
faith In idols and images, but by siding with the pagans they unmistakably showed
their preferment for idolatry. The verse lays bare their tacit approval, by their
conduct, of idolatry and paganism.

177. i. *., of the Arab pagans; the idolaters.

178. This the Jews said openly. Their approval of idolatry was only
implied; their encouragement of the idolaters was avowed and explicit. 'When
asked which they preferred, Islam or idolatry, the frankly avowed that they preferred
idolatry 1 . (LSK. Intro., p. LXIII).

179. I. *,, for delivering Him from the appointed doom both in this world
and the Hereafter.

180. (even in this world). Of the three Jewish clans flourishing in Arabia
two 'were sent into exile, just as they had previously come into exile, and the third
was exterminated — the men killed, and the women and children made slaves.'
(LSK. Intro., p. GXIV.).

181. i. e. t are these Arab Jews the masters of territory ?

182. i. *., their fellow-men,

1C3. So niggardly, are they of spirit !

181-. Here the Muslims are meant. When the Muslim forces suffered a
temporary set-back at Ohud, the Jews were specially jubilant/ (JE. VIII,
p. 61G).

185, i. £., the gifts of apostlcship and temporal power.

186, which house, of course, includes Isma'll as well as Isaac.

187, Sec P. L, n. 586. The emphasis is on the words * house of Ibrahim',
Tt was they who were promised leadership in religion and greatness as a nation. The
argument runs: why should the Jews express surprise at all at the conferment of
these gifts, spiritual and temporal, on the Holy Prophet of Islam ? Is he not as
good a descendant of Abraham as any of the Israelite prophets ?

1 88, i, £,, in the Divine revelations of their days.

ISt), So acceptance of the Divine truth by some and rejection by others has
always been the case with the Jews,

338 ran v

56 - (C*jCsv . . i ^\) Verily those who Ciisbelieve in Our revelations, them
We will soon cast in Fire. Whenever their skins are burnt up 190 We will change
them for other skins, 191 to keep up their tasting of the torment. 102 Verily Allah is
ever Mighty, 15 * Wise. 104

57., (ILlUs i . . ..yjjjO And Those who believe ?nd v\ork righteous
works, soon We wrli admit them to the Garden beneath which rivers flow abiding
there for ever. For them shall be spouses, 195 and We will admit them to a
sheltering shade."*

58, (Aj£*u . . , j^i) Verily Allah commands that you'* 7 shall render dues
to the owners thereof, and that, when you judge between men, judge with
equity. 18 * Excellent" is that with which Allah exhorts you; verily Allah is ever
Hearing, 1 ™ Seeing. 201

190, f, e., thoroughly burnt and their sensibility has been deadened.

191. (endowed with full sensibility).

192. This is to emphasize that the torment shall be unremittant.

193, i. <r., Able to inflict any punishment in any form He wills,

194, (so He shall choose the forms of the torment at its proper time).

195. See P. I, m 108.

19©* L )V>k * H* 1S 'constant shade, or, extensive shade; or in this case, the
latier word denotes i n lens iven ess, meaning dense' (LL), The allusion obviously is
to the ease arid pleasentness of life in Paradise,

197, (O men in authority 1)

]9R. 'That the Prophet did much to put down injustice and oppression, no
one can deny/ {Roberts, op, rit., p. 101),

199. {both as regards the temporal benefits and the spiritual merits).

200. i, (r„, cognizant of what you say of your words.

201. i. e. t cognizant of what you do of your acts.

IV. Surat-ul-Nisa 339

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59. ,(Uj,U • ♦ . yj) O you who believe ! obey Allah 80 - and obey the
Messenger?" 3 and men of authority from amongst you; i0< then if you 2l)S quarrel 2 **
in aught refer it 207 to Allah- 09 arid the Messenger, 809 if you indeed believe in Allah
and tho Last Day. 51 " That is the best 811 and the fairest 212 interpretation,

SECTION 9

60. (h&4M « . < *Jl) Hast thou* 13 not observed those* 14 who assert that
they believe Fn what has been sent down to thee and what has been sent down
before thee, and yet desiring to go to the devil for judgement" 5 whereas they-"
have bean commanded to deny him; and Satan desires to mislead them far off.* 17

61. (ta«>* . . . W,) And when it Is said to them: 'come to what
Allah has sent down and to the Messenger'.* 1 * thou wilt see the hypocrites hang
back far from thee.

62. (ISjJ^j . . . i_i*£») How then," 8 when some ill*** befalls them
because of what their hands have sent forth 851 and then they came to thee
swearing by Allah : we meant naught 888 . save kindness 22 * and concord.'"

202. (as the Supreme Law-giver). Obedience to God moans voluntary
submission to His will and commands ; and by obedience to God man completes Jus
sacrifice, and surrenders to Him all that he yet holds as his own, his most precious
goods.

203. (as the infallible interpreter of the Divine Will). Obedience to the
apostle means obedience to Him through His vicegerent.

204. i", e. t men of authority and learning among the Muslim community.
'In general, those who are termed ^j| % i] of the Muslims, are those who superin-
tend the affairs of such with respect to religion, and everything conducing to the
right disposal of their affairs/ (LL). The *UUtma (or guardians of the Law) are
laymen only, claiming no status or privilege apart from that of the genera! commu-
nity. The only authority they could exercise was derivable from their deep
knowledge and assiduous study of the Qur'an and the Sunnah,

340 Part V

205, i". e,, the community in general on the one band, and those in authority
on the other.

2fll>. Note that obedience to the men in authority is not on a par with
obedience to God and His apostle, the latter being absolute and unconditional.
There is no such thing In Islam as an 'infallible Church, protected from error, and
guided by the Holy Ghost. * Right of differing from those, in authority implies and
allows full scope of private judgment even to the humblest member of the
community*

207. i. e t> the matter in dispute.

200. L if., His Holy Book ; the Qur'an.

209,. i, r., the mouthpiece of Revolution ; his precepts and practices,

210. Note the extreme necessity of referring back, in eases of disagreement,
all mutual disputes to the original sources — the Qur'an and the Sunnab,

211. i. e r> conducive to peace, prosperity and contentment in this world.

212. i, <?,, conducive to happiness and bliss in the Hereafter,

213. (O Prophet!)

214. The reference is to the hypocrites, specially those from among the Jews,

215. i, e,, they resort, while professing Islam, to n on -Islamic tribunals for
judgement in their disputes. e( ,i U-, here stands for 'any un-Islamic tribunal*.

216. t. e., those who profess Islam.

217. (so they ought to have been on their guard against his seductive
methods).

218. ( fo r the decision o f your d isputes) ,

219. (will it fare with them).

220. I. e. t an exposure of their duplicity, for instance.
22!, i, #,, as an outcome of thnr own handiwork.

222, (by seeking redress elsewhere).

223, (to the accused).

224, (between the parties). The excuse of the hypocrites, on such occasions,
amounted to this: the prerogative of decision certainly belongs to the Prophet; we
never meant to question that. Our object in going to some one else was not to
secure exactly a judicial pronouncement, but to bring about mutual agreement,
conciliation somehow or other between the parties.

fV. $Ut-aruf-Nis3 341

tig >4&M

63. (UiL . . . dC£Ll) Those are they of whom Allah knows whatever
is in their hearts; 8 " so S2$ turn thou from them 227 and admonish them,** 8 and
speak to them for their souls 229 an effective word.

64, (Uafcj . . - Uj) Ar,d not a Messenger have We sent but to be
obeyed 230 by Allah's will. And if they, when they had wronged their souls, 2 " had
come to thee 2aa and begged forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had begged
forgiveness for them, 233 they would surely have found Allah Relenting, 234
Merciful, 235

65. (L^JU; . . • Uj) Aye ! by thy Lord, they shall not really believe 33 *
until they have made 237 thee 23B judge of what is disputed among them, and then
find no demur" 9 m their hearts against what thou hast decreed and they submit
With full submission,"

66, (tx^J . . . J.) And had We prescribed to them : 241 'kill yourselves
or go forth from your dwellings', they would have not done it save a few of
them. 242 And did they 243 perform what they were exhorted to perform, 9 " it
would be for them better 246 and more strengthening.** 6

67. ([ +J .!hfi ... lil ,) And then 241 surely We would have given them from
Our presence a mighty wage.

68. (UjAXmm . . . .^j a^O And surely We would have guided them to
a path straight.

225. (of hypocrisy and dissimulation} and in accordance with that knowledge
He shall punish them at the proper .time).

22G. i. «. 3 taking thy support in the Divine knowledge, and contenting
thyself with the Divine punishment. (Th).

227. (and be not hard upon them).

228. (as befits thy mission). Admonition and exhortation are the sine qua non
for the prophetic office.

229. i. e., for their good ; with this object that they might discard their
hypocrisy.

342 Part V

230. (so they ought to have obeyed thee and not have sinned against thee at
lit ail).

231. (by disobeying thee),

232. (in penitence).

233. (and- by joining his prayer with theirs would have strengthed their
cause).

234. Note that it is not the holy Prophet who is empowered to forgive the
sinners; he can only beseech God on their behalf. Forgiveness is entirely in the

hnnds of God,

235. (so that out of His mercy He would have relented towards them and

forgiven them).

236. {in the sight of God) v. e. t their Islam would not be held genuine and
sincere.

237. (and willingly accepted),

238. {and thy law, after thou art no more).
239* (bordering on denial).

240. (to thy decision). The acceptance of the Prophet's decision must be
heartfelt, and not merely external.
24 L », e<, the mankind.

242. (men of true faith, such as the companions of the holy Prophet).
True and devout Muslims arc always *few* as compared with the disobedient
'many*. -

243. i, e,, the hypocrites ; those with lip-profession of Islam.

244. (by way of unquestioning obedience and devotion to the Prophet).

245. », e., as substantiating their claims to merit,

246. (of their faith). Deeds of faith make faith itself deeper.

247. ». c. y with their substantial claims to merit and on the strength of their
faith*

IV. SVrat-uI-Nisa 343

69. (IajJj . . . ***) And whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger, 218
then those shall be** with them whom Allah has blessed'-* 10 - from among the
prophets, ?sl the saints,**' the martyrs, 253 and the rightous 2S * Excellent are these
as a company J

70. (Uxle - , . oUi) That* 58 fs the grace from Allah,* 5 * and Allah
suffices as Knowerf

SECTION 10

71. (u*+a. . ■ ♦ UjUj) you who believe ! be on your guard ; Z5T then
sally forth in detachment or all together, 2 **

72. /l&j^ , . , A y ) And suiely there is among you" 9 he who tarries
behind, 9 " 1 and if an ill befalls you, 201 he says: 26 '- surely God has been gracious
to me in that I was not present with them. 285

73. (L^iajt . ..* .jiJU) And if there comes to you a favour from Allah, 1 * 1
then, as if there had been no affection between you and him, he says :* 6S would
that I had been with them ! then I would have achieved a mighty achievement ZB<i

74. (L^e . . . AjIajIs) Let them therefore fight in the way of Allah** 7
those who have purchased the life of this world for the Hereafter. And whoso
fights in the way of Allah, and is then slain or triumphs, 2 * 5 We will m any case
give him a mighty wage. 2 * 9

248. (in the obligatory articles of faith).

249. (out of His grace and bounty, with no claims to the highest merit for
themselves),

250. (in the fullest and highest degree).

251. (who stand highest in spiritual rank).

252. {who rank next to the prophets). For -, ^ see p„ XVI, n, 151.

253. i. ft, those who have laid down their lives in the cause of faith. See
p. II, nn. 73-74.

254. i. *,, those who observe His laws and ordinances in every little detail of
of their lives.

344 Part V

255. i\ e. t the gift of so exalted a companionship ; elevation in Paradise to
tlic ranks of the prophets, etc.

256. i. c, a reward far higher than what they are entitled to by their works.

257. (against your enemies at the time of war) i, e. } be on your guard, and
provide yourselves with arms and necessaries.

258. (whatever may suit the occasion).

259. i, e., in your camp. The word comprises both the believers and the
hypocrites.

260. This alludes to the hypocrites,

261. t. g. t the Muslims.

262. (rejoicing at his hanging back),

263. (in the battle-field) .

264. (in the shape of victory).

265. (grieving over the loss of his share of booty, and without being at all
happy at the Muslim victory itself).

266. i. e. t a rich share of booty.

267. The import of 'in the way of Allah/ is that the holy war must be joined
with pure heart and clean motives and not from greed of booty.

268. Note that for a believing, devout warrior there are but two alternatives :
Paradise through martyrdom, or victory in the battle-field. In no case docs he know
vanquishment or ignominy of defeat.

269. (in the Hereafter, which is the only and real prize worth striving after).

IV. SQrat-ut-Nls& 345

■&#

nrJ£*\± ] t

75^ (Iwv-dJ . . . t-J And what ailsyou that you do not fight in the way
of Allah-' and 271 for the oppressed among men and women and children 272 who
say, 273 'our Lord 1 take us from this town 2?d the people of which are ungodly,"*
and appoint us from before Thee a friend 27 * and appoint us from before Thee a
helper*.

76. (Uu^ . . , ,->i'0 Th o se wh0 believe fight in the way of Allah 277
and those who disbelieve fight in the way of the devil." 8 Fight then against the
friends of Satan; 279 verily the craft of Satan is ever feeble. 880

270. i. e. s to defend and vindicate His true religion. That must always be
the primary motive.

271. as an additional reason.

272. One of the well- recognized objects of the holy war is to rescue the
down-trodden,

273. i. e., cry out in sheer helplessness.

274. (of Makka),

275. L e> ungodly and oppressive*

276. (to champion our cause and to deliver us from the plight we arc in).

277. i, *., to aid and exalt the cause of faith, truth and virtue.

278. i. #., to aid and exalt the cause of unbelief, untruth and vice. Note the
utmost contrast between the view-points of the Muslims and their opponents.

279. (who is backing, instigating and inspiring them, O believers I)

200, Satan, in Islam, is not a dreadful power, a thing to be afraid of. He
is to be despised by true believers, and his hosts arc sure to be vanquished in the long
run. This teaching deals a death-blow to the conception of Satan as an Evil Deity
or sub-deity who has to be propitiated.

346 p B rt V

<^^4^ ql j ^ttjjjy <•# si^-a> s^j^u iu~*. f^^j D Jj jj^^ r j^j q_ jftVij)

SECTION 11

77* (H^si . . lyjf) Hast thou** 1 not observed those 282 to whom it was
said:*" withold your hands, 2 " and establish prayer and pay the poor-rate 2 " 5 but
when thereafter 28 * fighting was prescribed to them, lo I there is a party of them"'
dreading men 238 as with the dread of Allah or with even greater dread;*" and
they say;«"» our Lord ! why hast thou prescribed to us fighting. 491 Wouldst that
Thou hadst let us tarry till a term nearby I 282 Say thou,^ 3 'trifling is the enjoy-
ment of this world, fsr better 254 is the Hereafter 285 for him who fears Allah***
and you 207 shall not be wronged a whit 2 * 8

78. (l^a, ♦ . . v j1) Death shall overtake you 209 wheresoever you may
be, even though you are in fortresses plastered. 300 And if there re aches them some
good they 301 say: this is from Allah; 30 - and if there reaches them some ill they
say:* 03 this is because of thee. 301 Say thou : from Allah 306 is everything. 308 What
ails then this people, that they do not understand my speech? 301

79. (U M A . . . u) Whatsoever of good reaches thee aoH is from Allah, 30 *
and whatsoever of ill reaches thee 5 ' is because of thyself, 351 And We have sent
thee 318 as a Messenger to the mankind, 5 ' 8 and suffices Allah as a Witness.* 1 *

80. (Ikxfci . . . ^uj He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed
Allah, 315 and he who turns away 3]C — We have not sent thee over them as a
keeper.* 17

281. (O reader!).

282. The allusion is to the faint-hearted among the Muslim*..

283. (when ihcy were impatient to go to war and were insistent in their
demand for leave to fight, harassed and persecuted as ihcy were by the idolaters).

284. (for the time being ; while at Makka).

285. Duties incumbent at all times, Witt or no war.

206. I, e,, after their migration !o Madlna, when the immediate strong
incentive to war— the Makka n persecution had ceased to operate.

IV. SUtat-ul'NJst 3*7

287, t, <?., the Faint-hearted ones.

200. i. #«, the enemy.

209. This fear, arising out of faint-hcartedncss, was not at all the result of
full deliberation or lack of conviction, and thus did not draw the censure that it
would have ol her wise deserved.

2 l M. (in their hearts, if not openly),

291. (so soon).

292. (that we might have enjoyed life a little longer) . The verse gives lie
to the imaginary eagerness of the early Muslims for warfare from love of
booty. The truth of the matter is that they felt hesitant, and very naturally so,
considering the heavy odds against them and the obvious risks it involved, and went
to the battle-field only when impelled by a sense of duty.

293. (O Prophet).

294. L e. t infinitely more pleasant, and of abiding nature.

295. (which can be won by means of Jihid).

296. (and is therefore a believing, devout Muslim).

297. (O mankind !)

293. ii *♦, none shall be deprived of the reward for his acts of merit, and
Jiksd is such an act pre-eminently,

299. (at its appointed time, which you cannot escape, so why lose merit by
evading Jihad?)

300. *". e. f in buildings most strongly built and best guarded. Noticeable in
this connection is an amusing and amazing theory of death being expounded by
certain men of science. There is a mysterious ray coming from outside the earth,
so runs the theory, which constantly beats down upon us from the moment of our
birth and destroys the cells comprising our bodies. Gradually, as we grow older, the
process of making good the damage slows down, until finally the ray gels the upper
hand, and death is the inevitable result. Now how to dodge this ray of death ?
The 'solution' is to spend the whole of our lives inside a house with lead walls
20 feet thick, for it has been experimentally found that the ray cannot penetrate
more than 19 feel of lead,

301. i t *., the hypocrites.

302. Intending to mean thereby that it has been due to mere fortuitous set
of circumstances, and not to any excellence on the part of the holy Prophet and the
Muslims,

303. (in their intense hatred of the Prophet and the Muslims).

304. (and thy companions),

305. The passage not only repudiates every form of 'dualism* but also
generates in the believing mind adamant fortitude. This is how the doctrine strikes
even an avowed traducer of Islam:— 'When overtaken by misfortune, no matter how
undeserved, the Arab says: "It was written t** or "Allah is Great!" Such a

348 PaTt V

' " * ' " ~ ~ *^* _^^^___„^_

discipline makes heroic soldiers, patient and resigned workers/ (Reinach, Orpheus,
p. 1 75). This doctrine of referring every event to the One and Only God has been the
consolation of millions and millions in countless ages, and is the one unfailing support
to every individual in his dire calamity. It was this doctrine that in the early history
of Islam nerved its adherents with a courage and heroism that proved matchless.

306. (whether good or evil), Cf t the OT:— C I form the light, and create
darkness : I make peace, and create evil : I the Lord do all these things. (Is. 45 : 7),
'Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it ?* (Am. 3 : 6)

l't07, even a thing so self-evident,

308. (Oman!).

309. *; #.', an act of pure' Divine grace; unpreceded by any act of special-
merit on the part of man.

310. (Oman!)

311. L e., a manifestation of Divine justice ; in part requital of some sin on
the part of man. Clearly, then, there is no disharmony between what is stated now
and what has been said in the preceding verse. Afflictions befalling the righteous
and the saintly, it should be noted, are not afflictions at all. They are only so in
appearance, not in reality. They are in the nature of a training ground.

312. (O Prophet).

313. i. *♦, the whole of it, and not to a particular race or people.

314. i» e., one who has furnished the holy Prophet with clear proofs of his
universal ministry.

315. Once we have accepted the great Muhammad (on him be peace I) as
the true apostle of God, we are bound by all canons of reason and logic to follow
every one of his precepts and commands implicity, no matter we are able to under-
stand the ultimate object of a particular order or not. 'Take the example of a
soldier who has been ordered by his General to occupy a certain strategic position.
The good soldier would follow and execute the order immediately. If, while doing
so, he is able to explain to himself the ultimate strategic object which the General
had in view, the better for him ; but in case the deeper aim which underlies the
General's command does not reveal itself to him at once, he is nevertheless not
entitled to give up or even postpone its execution/ (Asad, op. cit., p. 109)

316. (from obeying and following the Prophet), A corollary to the propo-
sition laid down in the verse is that he who disobeys the apostle, disobeys God.

317. *. A. t so grieve not, O Prophet I at the consequences of their rebellion.

IV SQrtf-Ut-M'sa 349

SI. (V* ■ - - hjM^j) And they 3 * 18 say, 319 'obedience'. 320 Yet when
they go forth from before thee, a group of them plan together by night 351 other
than they had said; 322 and Allah writes down what they plan by night, 3 " So
turn thou from them 3 ' 2,1 and trust in Adah, and suffices Allah as a Trustee. 3 * 5

82. (!>aa5 * . .ti\) D ° they 32 * not then ponder on the Qur'Sn?' 2 *
Were it from other than Allah they would surely find therein nv ,r *y a contradic-
tion. 328

83. (m 4 Xj , , . Sij ) And when there comes to them 32 * aught of secu-
rity" 11 or alarm, 331 they spread it abroad, 338 whereas had they referred it to the
Messenger 333 and those in authority among them, 33 * then those of them who can
think it out 335 would have known it 330 And had there not been Allah's favour
with you 337 and His mercy, 338 you would surely have 33 * followed Satan, save a
few of you. 9 * 6

84. (HaXjj . . . JjUj) Fight thou therefore in the way of Allah; 311 thou
are not tasked except for thy own sou L s * s and persuade the believers; 343, Allah
will perchance withhold the might of those who disbelieved And Allah is
Stronger in might 3 " and Stronger in chastising. 3 "

31 B. u e., the hypocrites.

319. (in when thy presence, O Prophet !)

320. i. e., we obey thoc.

321. (and in secret)

322. (before thee) i. <?., they profess obedience before thee, but when
alone, their chiefs conspire against thee. The passage may also be rendered t 'A
part of them meditatcth by night upon doing otherwise than that which thou hast
said' : Jju meaning both 'they were saying' and 'thou say est'.

323. (and He shall punish them accordingly at the proper time)
32't, (and feel no anxiety on their account, O Prophet !)

325. L &, as Disposer of all affairs and as Protector of His faithful servants,
and as one who is Able to settle accounts with their enemies.

350 Pan V

326. i. &, the infidels.

327. (and endeavour to obtain a clear knowledge of what is in it).

The Holy Qyiifaii being so transparently full of exquisite beauties and excellences,
moral and spiritual, that an unbiased study of it is sure to convince everyone of its
Divine Origin.

^ 328, (from which both in its external and internal aspects,, it is remarkably
and singularly free). Thus it is that all the numerous sects and parties among the
Muslims have the same Holy Text and are agreed as to its purity. Even the Christian
critics who cherish to find 'its many errors and defects' have to acknowledge that
there are no 'intentional alterations and mutilations* in it at all. This is dearly one
of the most powerful arguments in support of the claim of the Qur'an, specially in
view of the glaring fact that the canon cial books of the Bible, adopted as the
foundation of faith after prolonged deliberation, not only contradict each other in
details but are entirely at variance with a large number of equally respectable books
rejected as a spurious or apocryphal.

329. i. e. t the hypocrites.

330. For instance, the news of Muslim victories.

331. For instance, tha news of Muslim reverses.

332. (immediately, without stopping to make a proper investigation).

333. (instead of publishing it themselves).

334. L *,, among the Muslim community.
335* i, e, t the chief companions of the Prophet,

336. (whether the news was corrpct or not, or, if correct, worth publishing
or not)

337. (O Muslims!)

338. God's grace and mercy, in this instance, consisted in blessing the
Muslim community with two such marvellous gifts as the Holy Qur'in and the Holy
Prophet.

339. (as instigated and misguided by the hypocrites).

340. Those very few, by their rare and exceptional good sense, might have
arrived independently at the true notions of Divinity; but then this gift of so sound
and discerning an intellect is also an outcome of special Divine providence and
mercy.

341. (nor when jihud has been proscribed for thee, O Prophet t)

342. I, c, so thou art not at all accountable for the action or inaction of
others,

343. (to light). All this refers to a period before Jihad was prescribed as a
public duty,

344. (and shall vanquish them). Surely no mere human brain could have
ventured on such a prophecy with all the odds against the triumph of Islam and
with hardly any resources at its command.

345. (against rebels and offenders, in this world) i. e. t powerful and
invincible as the anti-Islamic forces seem to be, Allah's power is immeasurably
greater, and He is well-able to smash them,

346. (against rebels and offenders, in the hereafter).

IV, SUrat-utNisa 3 5 ^

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85. (bLOU ,..-•) He who intercedes with a goodly intercession, 34 ' his
shall be a portion 3,18 therefrom 3411 and he who intercedes with an ill interces-
sion 3 -' his shall be a responsibility thereof : And Allah is Controller of every-
thing. 351

86. (Ijxha. . , ■ lil i) And when you are greeted with a greeting, 5 " then
greet back with one better than that or return that. 365 Verily Allah is Reckoner of
everything. 354

87. (U^vs. ... -OJU AJ ' ah ' tners is no 9 ocl but H*- m Surely He
will gather you together on 35n the Day of Judgement of which there is no doubt,
and who is more truthful in discourse than Allah? 357

SECTION 12

88. (&l*« ■ ■ - f<JUi) What aifs you then 35 * that you &re 3M two parties
regarding the hypocrites, 360 whereas Allah has overthrown them 351 because of
what they have earned, 353 Would you 3015 lead aright those whom Allah has sent
astray? 3 * 14 And whomso Allah sends astray for him thou 866 shall not find a way, 36 *

89. ('ji-d*; ! . . jj| »a ^ They yearn that you 367 disbelieved even as they
have disbelieved, so that you 3 * 5 may be W alike. 366 So do not take friends from
among them unless they migrate 3 ' for the sake of Allah ; 3 " and if they turn
away" 5 then seize them and kill them 373 wherever you find them, and do not take
from among them a friend or a helper. 374

347. i. g, } one desirable both in regard to its object and its method,

348. (Of merit)

349. i. e., due to that goodly intercession.

350. i. e. t intercession for an evil cause or with improper methods,

351 . (and so requiting bom good and evil)

352. (by a Muslim, known or presumed, in the Muslim fashion, O Muslim !).
The customary greeting in Islam is: — Twice be upon you/ says one, 'And with you
be peace and the mercy of God/ replies another.

352 Part V

353. Jt is tin's command, in the main, which is responsible for the fallowing

scene, so general in the Muslim lands, witnessed and commented upon by an English
lady : — "As-salam-alaikumt, these gentle words of greeting each other, as they pass, is
a music to the ear. It is amusing to watch the dexterity with which two friends will
sustain a competition in greeting ; each one endeavouring to Outdo the other in
compliments. * . : Master and servant, the rich and the poor, the learned and the
unlettered, greet each other with the same dignity on both sides, leading to no loss
of self-respect to either*. (Lady Gobbold, op. dt. t pp- 59-60).

354. {great or small),

355. See P, III, n. 19,

356. J 1 in this phrase is in the sense of .J {LL).

357. (and it is He who is announcing the advent of that Day),

3515. (O Muslims!) Certain Makkans professing Tslam had migrated to
Madina, but later pretending to fetch their merchandise, obtained leave to go back
to Makka whence they never returned, and joined the pagans. The verses now
relate to this brand of apostates and renegades.

359. (even now).

360. i, *,, divided as to whether they should be treated as infidels v and be
slain or not

361. (to infidelity open and avowed).

362. Le t , because of the act they have deliberately and wilfully committed:
the act of their leaving, under false pretences, Madina, the only Dar-ul- Islam at the
time.

363. The address is to the Muslims who were till then unaware of the severe
guilt of the offenders.

364. (in cotiseqxicnce of their deliberate choice to go astray).

365. (O reader I),

366. i. r., nobody can create sense of belief and righteousness in one who
chooses to go wrong. No human efforts can make him who is wilfully blind see,

367. (O Muslims !).

368. (and they),

369. (in ungodliness). This shows the zeal of the hypocrites for misleading
th* Muslims,

370. (to Madina as Muslims},. Migration to Madina, was, at the time, an
obligatory act of duty and a visible token of the acceptance of Tslam.

371. i.e., as true Muslims, Mere entry into Madina was not enough, as
pagans also visited Madina for trade purposes,

372. (from complying with these terms and conditions, and remain infidels
as heretofore).

373. now that a state of belligerency exists,

374. i.e., have nothing whatever to do with them; have them neither as

friends in peace nor as helpers in distress.

IV. Sdrat-ut-Nisa 353

90. fau^u, . . . , r jj.il HI) Excepting those 37 * who join a people between
whom arid you there is a compact 5 ** or who came to you with their breasts
straitened that they should fight you or fight their own people. 3 " And had Allah
so willed. Ho would have surely set them upon you. 378 If then they withdraw
from you, 370 and do not fight against you, and offer you peace, then Allah does
not assign you a way against them, 380

91- (fcll*** .v. ,,*.is>x~) Surely you will find others desiring 381 that they
may be secure from you and may be secure from their people, and yet whenever
they arc brought back 3flS into the temptation 383 they revert to it, F ** Then if they do
not withdraw from you, nor offer you peace, nor restain their hands, 386 seize them
and kill them wherever you find them. These ! against them. We have given
you a clear authority. 386

375. (of the infidels).

376. . (of alliance). Thus, being allies of your allies, such infidels enter into
an indirect alliance with the believers*

377. (and thus seeking your alliance directly), i. t. t their hearts shrinking
from fighting you or their own people. *£>JjUj. .,! * s here synonymous with
pjCrtx! ^ (LL).

378. (but in His immeasurable grace and infinite mercy He did not so will,
and now they are of themselves offering you submission and seeking your alliance
and good- will).

379. (with no intent to molest yon)

300. (cither of slaying them or of taking them prisoners).

381, (out of their cunning and design).

332, (by the open and avowed enemies of Islam).

383. (of waging war upon the Muslims),

304, (without compunction),

3ft 5. (against you),

Zm. {for war).

354 Part V

riTl^l __ __ . . ■ - - -*<2&*&t_.

SECTION 13

&2. (L^jCo. *.*<*)£ U.) 't is not for a believer to kill a believer save by
a mischance; 397 and he who kilts a believer by a mischance, on him is the setting
free of a believing s!ave 3SP and bfoodwit 389 to be delivered to his family 3 * except
that they forgo. 3 * 1 Then if he 39 - is of a people hostile to you and is himself a
believer, then the setting free of a believing slave; 395 and if he be of a people
between whom and you is a compact 3 " 4 then the blood -wit to be delivered to bis
family 3 " and the setting free of a believing slave. 89 * Then whoso does not find
the wherewithal,*™ on him is the fasting for two months in succession : m a
penance 311 * from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.

93. (UA6* ♦ • . uy *) And he who kills a believer willfully, 400 his
requital 101 is Hell as an obider therein/ 05 and Allah shall be wroth with him 103 and
shall curse him 104 and shall prepare for bim a torment terrible; 10 *

387. i. e., by accident* not by design.

388. (or a bondwoman).

389. Murder, in Muslim jurisprudence, is not only a capital criminal o He nee
but also a civil wrong ; and the lire of a murderer, in the law of Islam, as in ancient
Greece, was forfeited to the kinsmen of the slain, who could, if they chose accept a
fine as satisfaction. See II, n* 177, 183 ff.

390. i, e. t the deceased's legal heirs.

391. {that compensation in part or in futt).

392. i. e. r the person slain*

393. (or bondwoman, but not blood-wit, since his relations are infidels, and
no infidel has a right to a Muslim's inheritance)*

394. (of alliance, and he himself is an infidel),

395. Since there is no objection to an infidel inheriting an infidel's property.

396. (or a bondwoman)*

397. (in case where the setting free of a slave is obligatory)*

N. SUrot-uf-Nisa 355

• 390. (in lieu of the freeing of a slave),

399, /, e t) enjoined by.

400, i. c. t by design, not by accident, and is unrepentant.

401, (originally and primarily),

402, {for ever). But since eternal damnation is incompatible with faith, this
original sentence is not carried out in full, by the grace of God, in the case of
believers.

403, (for a definite period).

404, i, e> t shall deprive him of His special mercy.

405, (for a definite period).

356 Part V

94. (!^4&, . , . IfciW) you who believe ! when you march forth 40 * in
the way of Allah, make things clear 407 and do not say to one 408 who offers you a
greeting: 403 'thou art none of a believer' 410 seeking the perishable goods of the
life of this world ; 411 for with Affah are spoifs abundant, 412 Even thus were you
aforetime, 413 then Aflah did a favour to you. 414 So make things clear. 415 Verily
Allah is ever Aware of what you do.

95- (Us^-c • - . *_**"-!') Not equal 41 * are the holders back among the
believers, 417 save those who are disabled 418 and the strivers in the way of Allah
with their riches and their lives. 418 Allah has preferred in rank the strivers with
their riches and their fives above the hofders-back, 420 and to all 421 Allah has
promised good. 4SS And Allah has preferred the strivers above the holders -back
with a mighty wage —

96. (Ufl&.j . . . u^sa.)i>) Ranks from Him and forgiveness and mercy; 428
and Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful,

406, (to fight the infidels).

407. (for yourselves, in every act of yours) i, e. t investigate fully before you
proceed to slay,

'108. (doubting his sincerity or genuineness of his conversion).

409. (in a Muslim fashion, or meets you with other tokens of friendship and
submission)

410. (at heart, but only pretendest to be so in order to save thy life From
our hands),

411. (by killing him in holy war and apportioning to you his property as
your share of booty).

412. (which every Muslim can easily win by walking in His way).

413. t, e< t you yourselves were judged Muslims, some time before, by no
other means than your verbal declaration of the faith and outward tokens of Islam.
Many of the distinguished pagans had not at once become converts at heart; their
genuine conversion came only gradually.

IV, SUrat-uhNis* 357

414. (so that the Muslims took you at your %vords, without having an in-
quiry into your inner feelings and in the sincerity or otherwise of your declarations).

415, (for yourselves, and be ever careful in observing this injunction).
4-16. (in degrees of merit).

41 % i. 6., those, who without reasonable cause stayed at home and did not

join the holy war.

418. (by illness or for some other good reason).

419. (by spending their money lavishly and recklessly, and by risking their

lives) „

420. (at home). Note that these stay-at-home are not counted as sinners,
since the duty of joining the holy war was not, at the time, obligatory on every
able-bodied individual.

421. (comprising the two classes mentioned),

422. (in the Hereafter, as reward for their respective deeds of merit),

423. Words explanatory of 'mighty hire'.

358 Pert V

SECTION 14

97- (tj*«** . • ♦ &ty Verily to those whom the angels carry off in death
while yet they are wronging their souls," 1 they will say :* 26 what were you in. 4 * 6 ?
They will say 121 'weakened were we in the land'. 4 ** They** 9 will say, 'was not
Allah's land wide so that you could migrate thereto'? 430 These I their resort is
Hell : an evil retreat

98. (lu^ . , . n \ ) Excepting the weak ones among men, women and
children, unable 431 to find a stratagem and not guided to the way.

99. (J),** . . . uX&jli) These are they whom Allah is likely to pardon,
and Allah is ever Pardoning, Forgiving.

100. fL^a.-j| . . . t y*A And he who 432 migrates m the way of Allah shall
find In the earth plentiful refuge and amplitude ;*** and he who goes forth from
his house as a fugitive unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes
him. 431 his wage 435 has surely devovled upon Allah;* 3 * and Allah is ever Forgiv-
ing «« Merciful. 458

424, (by not migrating to Madina). Their offence consisted in their not
joining the Holy Prophet and the Muslim community at Madtrta, which was a
duty incumbent upon them, but staying without any justification at Makka with
and among the idolaters and not wishing to break with them.

425, (while taking away their souls).

426, (so that you found it impossible to fulfil the obligations of your faith)

427, (excusing themselves),

428, (of our birth and dwelling and unable to resist the infidels, and also
unable to observe the obligations of our faith).

429, (i. e. the angels).

430, (for the proper observance of the obligations of your faith). The
meaning is : if the exercise of your religion was impossible in the land of your birth

fV. SQrat-ut-NisS 359

and dwelling, why did not you migrate to some other place on God's wide and
spacious earth ?

431. (in fact, and not feigning inability),

432. (charged with migration).

433. (wherein to practise his faith).

434. (before he has reached his destination).

435. (which in Divine bounty is conferred upon mere good intention).

436. (for this act of migration, though only undertaken and not completed).

437. (and so He shall forgive his many other faults).

438. (so that lie counts the incomplete act of migration as complete, and
rewards it in full).

SECTION 15

101, (U^*^ . . . IJJj) And when you are journeying in the earth, 43 * it
will be no fault in you that you shorten the prayer" if you apprehend that
those who disbelieve will molest you; 4 " verily the infidels are ever unto you an
avowed enemy,

102. (Uft*^ . . , 5i!j) And when thou" 2 art amidst them" 3 and hast set
up the prayer for Ehem, 4 " then let a party of them stand with thee and let them
retain their weapons; 4 " then when they have prostrated themselves, 44 * let them
go behind you," 7 and let another party who have not yet prayed 4 " come 4 ** and
pray with thee ; and Jet them also take their pre-cautions and their weapons.
Those who disbelieve wish that you neglected your weapons and your baggage,
so that they might swoop down upon you a one swoop, 460 No fault there will
be in you if there is an injury to you from rain or you are ailing," 1 that you lay
down your arms and yet take your caution. Verily Allah has prepared for the
infidels a torment ignominious.

439. (or by the sea, O Muslims !) The distance to be covered must be at
least for three 'stages or manzib, L $> t about 60 English miles, according to the
Hanafl school of Jaw, and a much shorter distance according to other schools,

440. (by half, so that the number of rak'at at fyihar (noon), *Asr (afternoon)
and *foha (night) prayers would be reduced to two.

441. (by your halting at a place too long). UjJ here may also be taken in
the sense of 'slaying/

442. (O Prophet 1 or any other in thy place).

443. i. e t) the Muslims.

444. (and an attack by the enemy may be imminent).

445. (while in prayer, the other half is to be on the look-out for the enemy).
Note that even at this moment of imminent danger, prayer is not to be put off or

IV. SWat-uh'Nfsl 361

held over. So pre-eminently important Is the duty of offering prayers in the code of
Islam !

44G. (and have finished one rok'at).

447. i, e. t in the hindermost row.

440, (but have been on the look-out for the enemy).

449. (forward into the front row)*

450. So you need be ever vigilant and on your guard.
45 1 4 (and thus are impeded from taking your arms).

362 Pan V

103. (UjJm i . . Siitj) Then when you have finished the prayer, 16 *
remember Allah, 4 -" standing, sitting., and lying on your sides. 464 Then when you
are secure 4 " establish prayer; 166 verily the prayer is prescribed to the befievers at
definite times. 457

104. (L^jCri. . ,J.) And do not slacken in seeking the enemy people; 1 "
if you arc suffering, 45 * then they'** suffer even as you suffer, 461 and you hope from
Allah what 482 they hope not." 3 And Allah is ever Knowing, 4 ** Wise. 4 "

SECTION 16

105. (Ujt-aa- . , .US) Verily We; it is We who have sent down the Book
to thee 40 * with truth, that thou mightest judge 4 CT between people by*** what Allah
has shown thee ; 4119 and be not thou 470 a pleader on behalf of the deceivers.

106. (Lafe.i . . . )**JL«S») And beg thou forgiveness of Allah;* 71 verily
Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

107. (l*£j| * . . L) And plead not 4 7S thou for those. who defraud their
souls,* 73 verily Allah does not love one 174 who is a defrauded 71 sinner. 47 *

452. (thus curtailed and circumscribed),

453. (as usual).

454. t, <?., in every attitude and posture as may be practicable ; and do not
infringe the prescribed law of prayer in any of its details.

455. i. r,, out of danger, and not journeying.

456. (in its proper, regular form as duly prescribed).

457. (so it must be offered in every circumstance and at appointed hours),
'The religion of the Muslim is continually present with him and in the daily prayer
manifests itself in a. solemn and impressive ritual, which cannot leave either the
worshipper or the spectator unaffected.' (Arnold, Preaching of Islam, p. 417). *The
timing of the daily prayer which according to the Qur'an restores self-possession to
the ego by bringing it into closer touch Willi the ultimate source of life and freedom,
is intended to save the ego from the mechanising effects of sleep and business.

tV. SOrat-uf-Nt'sa 363

Prayer in Islam is ike ego's escape from mechanism to freedom.* (Iqbal, op* «*.,

pp. 151-152).

458. (through lack of grip, when that pursuit is necessary).

459. (of wou utts and privations, O Muslims J).
4 CO. L e., the enemy,

461. (so that you and ihey are equal so Far as the physical aspect of the

war is concerned)*

462. (high reward),

463. (so in strength of mind and spirit you are their superior).

464. (so that He knows well your enemies* weakness of heart and body).

465. (so that He does not command you to do acts that are beyond yon).
466 ■ (O Prophet!).

467. (in this particular affair).

468. i:e., in accordance with ; by means of.

469. ( by revelation). i_J?1.jJ-' is here synonymous with lJCj^c and uXJLe
(LL).

470. (in the future, as thou hast never been in the past). Bashir, a hypo-
crite, of the clan of Obeiraq, had stolen a bag of flour and some arms from the
house of Rifi'a, a companion of the Prophet, The theft was detected. The Obeiraq
people, in order to shield their kinsman, laid the guilt at the door of Labid, a
faithful Muslim, and protested to the Prophet with an air of injured innocence that
they were being unjustifiably suspected by Rila'a. The holy Prophet thereupon is
reported to have remonstrated with the patty of the complainant for suspecting
without warrant members of the Muslim community. It was at this stage that real
facts of the case became known to him by Revelation, and Bashir, the real culprit,
was exposed. Offended at this he returned to paganism and joined the Makkans

openly,

471. (for thy remonstrating with the people of the complainant). The act
on the part or the Prophet on the basis of the facts than available was perfectly
innocent— even meritorious— but it might have had the effect of silencing the
complainant, and was thus, in Divine wisdom, not quite politic for the Prophet.

472. (as they wish thee to contend).

473. (by wronging others and accusing lb cm falsely).

474. —like Bashir, in this instance —

475. t, j?., persistent deceiver.
476* t* 6*t addicted to sin.

364 Part V

108, (Ua^cs** . . . ^jidouAj) They feeT ashamed of men*" and not feet
ashamed of Allah, 478 whereas He is 479 present with them when by night they
plan together of discourse which does not please Him ; and Allah is ever an
Encompasser of what they do. 480

109' (H** j . . . f«jU) Lo I it is you* 81 who have contended for them in
the life of this. world ; 48t then who will contend for them with Allah on the Day
of Judgement or who wifl be their champion?

110. (t*ac*j •;,;, ;^* .) And he who works an evil 18 * or wrongs his own
sou* and thereafter begs forgiveness of Allah, 464 shell find Allah Forgiving,
Merciful.*"

111. (L&<=m. . . . -^y ,} And he who earns a sin, only against his own
soul earns it;" 9 and Allah Is ever Knowing, 487 Wise, 48 *

112. (l^^* . . » .* . jj And he who earns a vice* 8 * or a sin** 1 and there-
after** 1 casts it on an innocent one.*" has certainly borne a calumny 4 " and a
manifest sin.

477. (who are in reality as powerless as themselves),

478. i, e. t the Omniscient, the Omnipotent.

479. (as ever),

480. (so it is He atone who ought to be feared).

481. (O Muslims!).

482. This refers to the unsuspecting neutral Muslims who had assembled
before the Prophet to defend and support Bashir, the offender.

483. (to others),

484. (in the way prescribed).

485. (so Bashir and his accomplices ought to have asked Divine forgiveness
in the proper way),

486. i, e t , hurts himself and not others. This makes immediate penitence on
his part the more necessary.

IV. Stirat-ul-Nisa 365

407. {so He is aware of every sin and sinner).

488. (so that His punishments are suited to every individual case).

489. (relatively small).

490. (grave or heinous).

491. (instead of asking forgiveness).

492. (as did BasliTr and his associates).

493. Calumny, denoting atl the unjust accusations which have the effect of
damaging or lowering another's reputations is always a prominent feature of
a depraved society. Islam condemns it in the strongest terms, so that it may not raise
its head even in forms too subtle to be reached by the arms of law.

366 Part V

sEto^C^flj^^^j^jg

SECTION 17

113. (L*k* . . . HjJj) Were not the grace of Alfah and His mercy on
thee,* 84 a party of them had surely resolved to mislead thee,*" 5 whereas they
mislead not but themselves; 496 and they shall not be able to hurt thee in aught. 497
And Allah has sent down to thee the Book and wisdom, 4 ** and has taught thee 40 '
what thou k no west not ; and the grace of Allah on thee is ever mighty/ 00

114, (UjJht ♦ . , ^ y) No good 501 is there in much of their whispers 50 *
except in him who commands charity or kindness or reconciliation among man-
kind; r,oa and he who does this, seeking the goodwill of Allah/ 04 him We will
presently give a mighty wage.

115- (!)*«** ••&*}) Anc * " e wno °PP° S ^ S the Messenger after the
truth has become manifest to him and follows other way than that of the belie-
vers,"* him We will let follow* 06 that to which he has turned 807 and him We will
roast in Hell— —an evil retreat!

SECTION 18

116 * (Ua*< . . . ^l) Verily Allah shall not forgive that aught be asso-
ciated with Him,"* and He shall forgive all else 509 to whom He will,* 10 and he
who associates ought with Alfah has certainly strayed far away. 511

117. (U,,^. • . ♦ ^ f) They 512 invoke not beside Him but females," 3 and
they invoke not but a Satan rebellious." 4

118- (LijjJui . « . *l*j) Allah has accursed Mm, 1 " and he said : C3C 'I will
surely take 617 of Thy creatures a portion allotted;** 6

494. (in this instance, as always, O Prophet !)

495. (by causing thee to deliver an unsound judgment).

496. i. e. t as they have failed in their unholy attempt in the past, so also
they shall fail in the future.

497. (in this respect) f. *;, they shall not be able to cause thee to fall into
error and they shall not succeed in wringing from thee a wrong verdict.

IV, SUrat-uf-Nlsa 367

498. (and it is impossible Tor error to co-exist with these Divine gifts).

499, (of higher truths) :

500* It was this unvarying and constant Divine grace which made it impos-
sible for any one to lead the Holy Prophet astray.

501. i, g. , merit or virtue, , ;

502- The hypocrites in their secret counsels mostly talked in whispers. The
pronoun **, refers to the multitude of mankind.

503. (and to effect these ends have to counsel in secret).

504. (and not with an unworthy or ignoble motive). Note the emphasis
Islam lays on the lightness of motives, on the purity of the springs of action.

505. This Svay of the believers'' includes dress, food, personal appearance,
and many other habits and customs generally believed to lie outside the path of
religion and spirituality. And that the Muslims have, or, at any rate, till very
recently have had, a definite and distinctive culture of their own goes without
saying. *Up to the nineteenth century it was generally possible to recognise
Muhammadans by their external appearance. They felt that they were heirs of a
culture which was bound up with their creed, and they wished to preserve the
characteristic marks of their civilization. So persistent has been the influence of
this distinctive Muslim culture that a strong sense of corporate unity may often
survive the disappearance of intellectual assent to the dogmas of the faith and may.
serve as a social bond long' after faith is dead/ (Arnold, Islamic Faitk t p. 48).

506* (in this world without let or hindrance),

507. L e, t to the ways that are not of the believers. 'The imitation of
outward appearance leads, by degrees, to a corresponding assimilation of the mental
disposition . , , Only very superficial people can believe that it is possible to imitate
a civilization in its external appearance, without being at the same time affected by
its spirit. A civilization is not an empty form only, but a living energy. The
moment we begin to accept its form, its internal currents and dynamic influences set
to work in ourselves and mould slowly, imperceptibly our whole mental attitude,*
(Asad, op. riL, pp. 83-34).

508. (either in His Person or in Hi& Attributes). Note the unique and
unmistakable insistence with which the Holy Qur'an follows this one theme, the
absolute unity of God. See n. 160 above.

509. (either altogether or after some initial punishment).

510. (in accordance with His universal Plan),

51 1. (from the right path, and so eternal damnntio; must be his natural,
duo).

512. i, e,, the infidels in general, and Arab pagans in particular,

513. i. e., female deities ; goddesses. It was not only the Arabs who
worshipped as 'daughters of God' angels and certain of their images, but many
divinities throughout the world, including the sun, ihe moon, and the *Grcat

368 Part V

Mother,' have been construed as feminine, and the cult of goddesses has been almost
universal, 'The emotional side of Semitic heathenism was always very much
connected with the worship of female deities, partly through the associations of
maternity, which appealed to the purest and tenderest feelings, and partly through
Other associations connected with woman, which too often appealed to the sensuality
so strongly devleoped in the Semitic race/ (Robertson Smith, Religion of ike Semites t
p. 59). And as to other religions : — 'In the religious imagination and devotion of the
Cretans the goddess was markedly predominant over the God/ (UHW, II, p. 1365).
'The characteristic which specially distinguishes the Anatolian religion is its

conception of the Divine Being as the mother, not the father, of mankind

The God, the male element in the Divine nature, was conceived as a secondary
figure to the Great Mother/ (DB. V, p. 122). The goddess was the fountain and
source of human life. The principles on which that life must be lived emanated
from her/ (ERE, IX, p. 905). Among the Hindus of south India, who mostly
worship nondescript local village deities, 'these local deities are nearly all of the
female, not the male, sex/ (EBr. XI, p. 577)* 'Amongst many primitive peoples,
and at the present time in a large number of less developed cults, goddesses occupy
important places in the pantheon/ (ERE. V, p. 827), 'tflj\ also signifies inanimate
tkings as trees and stones and wood 1 . (LL)

514. t. e. t this goddess-worship is, in effect, nothing but devil-worship,

515. {for his rebellion)

516. (at the time of his expulsion from the Heaven).

517. (by seducing them),

518. L *., limited in number ; determined in regard to time.

IV. Stirataf-N/sa 369

119. (U^ *♦•'}) anc * sure, V I will lead them astray," 9 and I will fill
them with vain desires, 520 and I will bid them so that they will slit the ears of the
cattle," 1 and ! will bid them so that they will alter the creation of Allah. 582 And
he who takes Satan instead of Allah, for a friend, 625 shall surely suffer a loss
manifest. 68 *

120. ft ^ . i . jwuAju.) Satan makes them promises 526 and fills them with
vain desires, and Satan proi ises them but vain desires,

121. (UaA^ . . » t_X*jjl) These: 6 " their resort shall be Hell, and they
shall not find an escape therefrom,

122. (h^J . . . .»j,SJJ,) And those who believe and work righteous works
soon We shall admit them to Gardens beneath which the rivers flow as abiders
therein for ever : promise of Allah, true. 6 * 7 And who h more truthful than Allah
in speech,

1 23: (fj^aai) . . . l _ r J) Not by your vain desires nor by the vain desires
of the people of the Book 6 " are the promise of Allah to be fulfilled ; he who
works an evil shall be requited therefor,"* and he shall not find, beside Allah, a
protector nor a helper.

519. (from the path of faith and rectitude).

520. I, *>, with false hopes and a craving to commit sins,

521. The pagan Arabs used to slit the ears of camels and other animals
invoking on them the names of their gods and goddesses,

522. {by putting it to uses not intended by the creator). For example, the
castration of slaves; or, to take a modern instance, the artificial change of sex. The
Amazons' practice of burning off their right breast may also be cited as a further
example.

523. (by obeying his commands instead of God's),

524. i\ *., eternal damnation,

525. (under false pretences).

526. i, e,, the dupes of the devil,

527. (as contrasted with the false pretences of the devil).

528. (are these promises of God to be obtained). No mere wish and desire,
shorn of acts and deeds, would avail anything,

529. Or, *on account of it/

370

Part V

^^^rp^^-ba -

124, (\y#ti *;*>>}) And he who works righteous wo/tfs, male or

female, 530 and is a believer these shall enter the Garden and shall not be

wronged a speck." 1

125. (txXo. * - * ^ j)i And who can ^ e better m relrgfon than he who
submits his face to Allah,* 38 and is sincere,* 3 * and fol tows the faith of Ibrfihjm,
the upright ?* M And Allah has taken Ibrahfm for a friend. 585

12S, {Ua^aa,* , . . *.tJ.) And Allah's is whatsoever Is in the heavens and
whatsoever is In the earth,** 6 and Allah is ever an Encompasser of everything.* 87

SECTION 19

127- (l^ju . . . t-Jjj£Ji£u.j ,) And they 538 ask thy decree 639 concerning
women."* Say thou : 'Allah decrees to you concerning them and so do the
revelations that have been recited to you in the Book" 1 concerning the orphan
women*** to whom you" 3 do not give what is prescribed for them" 4 and yet desire
that you will wed them, and concerning the oppressed children," 5 and concern-
ing this that you will deal"* with the orphans in equity," 7 and whatsoever good
you do, then verily Allah is ever Aware of it. 5 * 8

530. This means that so far as spiritual merits are concerned there is no
difference between man and woman- It has never been a subject of discussion
among the Muslims whether woman possessed a soul or not,

531. This, in a nutshell, is the Islamic law of Divine requital. The proviso
,y*t* -a, is vital, for without right faith 'righteous works' are meaningless.

532. i. e. t who has surrendered his entire self to God, and is obedient to
God, both in word and deed.

533. (not simulating faith).

534. See P. 1, nn. 617, 618.

535. Cf. the OT;— [ . . . the seed of Abraham, my friend.' (Is. 41 : fi). c . . ,
and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend/ (2 Ch, 20 : 7). But the English
word 'friend' does scant justice to the idea of UJ£, which, In Arabic, denotes the

IV. Surat-ttf-Nrsa 371

dearest or most sincere friend who has no rival in (he love and reliance placed upon

him.

536. (so His sovereignty is all-comprehensive).

537. (so His knowledge is all- comprehensive),

538. I. #., ihe people,

539. O (Prophet I) f. #., Divine decree received by the Prophet through
Revelation.

540. i. e., concerning their dower and their share in inheritance.

541. (in the beginning of the Surah). Questions are referred back to the
previous commandments with respect to all these subjects already dealt with in the
opening verses of this chapter.

542. Orphan girls, in pre-Islamic Arabia, with properties of their own, in
charge of their wards, were of two descriptions. Either they happened to be
handsome or not. If handsome, the guardians used to take them as their own wives,
but not to pay them their dower in full* If otherwise, the guardians, in order to
profit by the estate of their wards, suffered them not to seek husband elsewhere.
Islam at one stroke did away with this dual injustice,

543. (O guardians Ti

544. *". #., their proper dower.

545. i/*., male children of tender age who al?o were subjected to many
inequities and hardships in pagan days. Taking the Holy Qur*an as the work, not
of God but of the Prophet, says a Christian writer r — 'One of the most commendable
things which one finds in reading the Qoran is the solicitude which Muhammed
shows for the young, and especially for such as have been deprived of their natural
guardians. Again and again he insists upon a kind and just treatment being
accorded to children. And working upon his words, the Muhammedan doctors
have framed a system of rules concerning the appointment and duties of guardians
which is most complete, and extending to the most minute details/ (Roberts,
«p t ett t> pp. 40-41),

546. (in all your dealings).

547. "The enactments of the Qoran have supplied the foundation for a
most comprehensive law on the subject of guardians and wards. And since this law
is thus based upon the express teaching of the Qoran, we find a greater agreement
here between the Shiahs and Sunm's than in any other matter of law' (Roberts, op.
ciL, p. 43).

548. (so ye ought to hasten towards good).

372 p aa t V

128. (ly£^ * . . , # j 1 .) And if a woman apprehends refractoriness 2,1 * or
estrangement" 50 from her husband, it shall be no blame on the pair if they effect
between them a reconciliation," 1 and reconciliation is afways good. 6 " And
souls" 9 are engrained with greed. 651 And if you act kindly 5 " and fear Him,**"
then verily Allah is ever Aware 657 of what you do,

129. (Uftss.) ■ * , .J ,) And you are not able 558 to deal equitably between
wives, 659 even though you long to do so ; but" incline not" 1 an extreme inclin-
ing, 6 * 2 so that you leave her* 63 as it were suspended." 1 And if you effect a
reconciliation 665 and fear Allah, 5 " then Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful,

ISO- (U*&h • r * t«j' 5) ^"^ '' ' ne P a ' r mtjS t separate/* 7 Allah shall
enrich 5 " 8 each of them of His bounty ;**• and Allah is ever Bountiful, Wise.

131 . (Il^o, . . . *JU •) And Allah's is whatsoever is in the heavens and
whatsoever is in the earth 6 ™ And assuredly We enjoined those who were given
the Book before you and yourselves : fear Allah, 671 and if you disbelieve, then
Allah's is whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, 67 ' and
Allah is ever Self-sufficient, 675 Praiseworthy. 674

549. or cruelty.

550. (or desertion).

551. (by foregoing, on the part of the wife, her dower in part or in full),

552. (in any case than separation or incessant wrangling).

553. (of mankind in general).

554. (so that man is likely to consent to live with his wife, if she is prepared
to part with some of her rights),

555. (towards your wives i and do not coerce them into relinquishing their
clues).

556. (in fulfiling the obligations to your wives).

557. (so He is sure to reward you for your acts of equity and benevolence),

558. (by your very constitution, O men !)

559. (when they are more than one in the matter of heart) *". e., to hold the

IV. Surat-u\-Nis% 373

balance even in love and affection, which feelings arc of involuntary nature and
beyond human control-

560. (for that reason),

561. (to one wife, in your dealings, in your voluntary conduct, even when
absolute justice and perfect equality are impossible)*

562. (to the cxculsion of others), i. e., be fair and considerate in respect of
outer duties at least. The purport of the whole passage is : while unable constitu-
tionally to observe perfect equality among your wives in respect of your feelings of
love and attachment, you are not, on that account, by any means warranted in
bestowing your favour, voluntary favour, entirely on the one, to the utter neglect of
the others. Your duties you have to perform, so far as lies in your power, to every
one of them.

363. i. *., the less favoured wife.

564. *", *,, like the one neither in wedlock, nor divorced and free to marry
someone else. This condemns the Christian institution of 'separation from bed and
board' which even when perpetual 'does not however give either parly the right to
remarry during the lifetime of the other/ (EBr. XVI, p. 952)

565. i, e., if you improve your relations with the less favoured wives, and
they willingly pardon you for your un dutiful ways in the past,

566. (in fulfilling your obligation towards them in the future),

567. (in an approved, legal way after all the attempts at reconciliation
have failed)

568. (of each other), So none should regard himself or herself a*
indispensable.

569. *. #., He shall bless the wronged party either with a belter match or
with peace of mind,

570. The commands, therefore, of this Sovereign Lord are to be carried out
most implicitly and in every little detail,

571. This fear of God is the true basis of wisdom and all good actions.
(Sec P. I, n. 182)

572. (so you will disobey to your own peril, and cannot hurt this Sovereign
Lord in the least).

573. i. e. t independent of all His creatures ; standing in no need of service
on the part of His creatures. His commands and injunctions are all for our own
good.

574. i. e. t Perfect in His essence and attributes,

374 Part V

132. (&£$ . . ,.*jj ) And Allah's is whatsoever is m the heavens and
whatsoever is in the earth,* 75 and sufficies Allah as a Champion. 676

133. (IjjiiJ ... .i l) If He will, He can take you away, O mankind I 67 '
and bring forward others. 578 And Allah is ever Potent over that. 579

134. {)yjf^j . . . t y) He who seeks the reward of this world, 580 with
Allah is the reward of this world and the Hereafter, 58 * and Allah is ever Hearing," 8
Seeing.* 8 '

SECTION 20

135. ())&&. * . ♦ U J 1i) ° yoLJ who be,ieve! be V° u maintalnerof equity"*
and bearers of testimony" 5 for Allah's sake 585 though ft be against yourselves 687
or your parents or kindred." 8 Be he 589 rich" or poor" 1 Allah is nigher unto
either;" 2 so follow not the caprice, 6 " lest you may deviate. 6 '' 4 If you incline 6 " or
turn away," 6 then verily Allah is Aware of what you work." 7

575. i. *♦, He alone is All-Mighty ; He alone is to be looked up to>

576. (so why should His servants fear others, or look up to them for
favours ?)

577. So Powerful is He ! He can destroy everything without the slightest
harm to Himself.

578. i. #., other creatures, or another race, to serve Him,

579. (but purely out of His grace and beneficence He asks you, again and
again, to observe His commands and to fulfil His law, entirely for your own
benefit).

580. (for his acts of devotion and piety).

581. (how foolish is then to seek from Him the immediate rewards of this
world only and to be indifferent to a reward that is infinitely more precious I) Note
that it is not the desire to get riches of this world that is discouraged. Every one is
quite at liberty to pray for, and strive after, health, prosperity, offspring and the
like. It is the habit of seeking worldly rewards for acts of duty) devotion and fitly that

175
IV> Sutat-uf-Nisa

is condemned. Duties to God and men are to be performed for their own sake
entirely irrespective of abundant gains and rewards.

582. (so He listens to your words and petitions).

533. {so He is Aware of your motives and intentions).

584. (in every dealing as a party, and in every decision as a judge),

585, i. e. y veracious and incorruptible in bearing testimony when any
matter comes up before the tribunal.

58G. i. *., to win His approval and goodwill.

587. i. e>, even though it may amount to an admission of your guilt.
5B8. t. e., no fear of self-injury and no ties oflove and kinship are to stand
in the way of giving absolutely true evidence.
509, i. e. t the party opposite*
500. (so that you might be tempted to seek his favour).

591. (so that you might be moved by pity or compassion to shield him).

592. (than you) ». *., the Creator has far stronger ties with the parly
concerned than you can possibly have; so allow not yourselves to be influenced by
any extf aneous considerations while tendering evidence,

593. (of your heart) u t, t your inclination or prejudice.

594. (from the truth). 'False testimony is not regarded as evidence by the
Muhammedan jurists, as the very object of information is to disclose what occurred.
In fact according to them false testimony or false evidence or false information
would be a contradiction in terms/ (Abdur Rahim, op. ciL, p. 375).

595. (from true testimony).

596. (from tendering evidence at all).

597. (so that you can by no means escape His punishment).

376 Part

136. (I^^aj ... . 1 4 jIj) O you who believe I believe" 8 in Allah 5 ** and His

Messenger* 00 and the Book He has sent down to His Messenger and the Book
He sent down formerly ; and he who disbelieves fn Allah and His angels and
His books and His messengers and the Last Day, has strayed far away.

137. (h^„ . * * id l) Verily those who believed and then disbelieved, and
then* 01 believed 802 and then* 03 disbelieved, 00 * and thereafter waxed in infidelity,** 1
Allah shall not forgive them nor guide them on the way.***

13s - (UJl . . , yAi) Announce thou 6 * 7 to the hypocrites that theirs shall
be a torment afflictive, 808

139. (Uj^a. . . . ,*ji>.JS) Those who take infidels, instead of the believers,
for friends,* 00 — do they seek honour with them 01 '?— verily then honour is Allah's
altogether." 1

140. (La*&. . . . ^j) And it has been revealed to you in the Book* 1 * that
when you hear Alfah's revelations being disbelieved in and mocked at, do not sit
down with them* 18 until they plunge into a discourse other than that ; for, then," 1
you would surely become like unto them." 8 Verify Allah is about to gather
hypocrites and infidels in Hell together—"*.

598. (perfectly, in full and complete faith, and in every little detail). There
is no phase of a Muslim*s life which his religion leaves untouched. Nothing that
he does or even thinks lies outside the scope of his religion.

599. t. e., in His essence and attributes. This is the first and foremost
article or faith, the rest of the articles following in the verse*

600. *\ e* t the Prophet Muhammad j the apostle par excellence.

601. (Once again),

602. (but this time again they did not stick to the faith, or else their sin of
apostacy would have been condoned).

603. (once again J.

604. (to return no more to Islam)

IV. Surat-uI-NfsZ 377

605, {as did certain waverers in the early days of Islam, going over again

and again to paganism and ending their life in infidelity)*

606, (to Paradise).

607, {O Prophet).
603. (in the Hereafter).

609. This refers to such of the hypocrites as could not even keep up appear-
ances, and mixed freely with the open enemies of Islam.

610. i. #., is that their motive in cultivating the friendship of the pagans ?

61 1. He is the fountain of all honour and its sole dispenser.

612. (O believers !) Cfi Surat-ul-An'am, verse 68, revealed prior to this

surah.

613, I. *., the scoffers and blasphemers.

614. f. e. t in case you do not withdraw from such company.

615. (in point of sinfulness).

616, The guilt of both being the same, the punishment must also be

common.

3?8 Pan V

^mw<&MH&&f&s

741. (tf^, , . . ^yiJl) Those who wait about you. fll7 If then there
is victory for you* 18 from Allah, they say : 'were we not with you P* 19 ' And if
there is a portion for the inh'defs, they say: 6 -" 'did we 621 not gain mastery over
you* 122 and did we 633 not keep you back from the believers ? 6U Allah shall
judge*" between you* 26 on the Day of Judgment, and Allah shall not make*" a
way for the infidels against the believers. e2a

SECTION 21

142. fafjj * . . ^I) Verily the hypocrites would beguile Allah, 6 ** whereas
It fs He Who beguiles them" 30 and when they stand up to prayer, they stand up
languidly,* 3 * making a show to the people,* 32 and they remember Allah*" 3 but
little™*

143, (JU.J-M. : . . • t yjj6j&s*) Wavering between this &nd that,* 35 neither for
this nor for that; 030 and he whom Allah sends astray, 637 for him thou wilt not
find a way. 638

1^4. (-UUfcn , , . U-iU) V ou wno believe I do not take infidels, 639
instead of believers, for friends. Would you give Allah a manifest authority
against you ? wo

617. (that some misfortune befall you, and long for it).

618. (in the war).

619., (so give us our share of the booty).
620, (to the infidels taking advantage of the occasion).
62 L This 'we* refers to the total Muslim army with which the hypocrites
used to remain in contact For appearance sake.

622. (and had we not it in our power to slay you),

623. i. e., the hypocrites*

624. (by our deserting the Muslim army or by our effort to dishearten
them). The hypocrites did not fail to take advantage of temporary pagan successes,
and used to say to them j wo were in the Muslim ranks on purpose to protect you
when they were overpowering you.

IV, SQrat-ul-NisZ 379

625. (in a demonstrable, practical way).

626. i\ <?.» the believers on the one hand and the open and secret disbe-
lievers on the other.

62 7. (in the final judgment).

028. (the believers entering their abodes of eternal Bliss and the infidels their
abode of eternal perdition)*

629. (by the lip-profession of their faith, and by the suppression of their
heartfelt denial and defiance).

630. Or 'requites them for their deceit', ^fjjsulti rtip&* *Ua* (Rgh)*

631. (since they have no faith in prayer and since motive force in their case
is entirely wanting).

632. (in order that they may be counted as Muslims).

633. (even with their tongue and outwardly).

634. i, #., of real, genuine faith they have none, but even by way of
affectation they malse but a poor show.

635. i*. #., vacillating between faith and infidelity.

636. i\ e, t they belong neither to the Muslims wholly, but only in appear-
ance, nor to the infidels wholly, but only at heart.

637. (consequent on the individual's own will to go astray).

638. (of deliverance, O reader I) The case of these deliberate and wilful
offenders is hopeless, no Muslim need be solicitous on their account.

639. (of either description, whether overt or covert).

640. {by making friends with the enemies of Islam).

380 Part V

1 45. (J'&itf ... jft Verify the hypocrites *fts// &<? In the lowest abyss of

the Fire," 1 and thou* 4 * wilt not find for them a helper—

146. (Lj^-c . . . S\) Except those who will yet repent 643 and amend 6,1 *
and hold fast by Allah and make their religion solely for Allah, These 616 then
shall be* 48 with the believers, 647 and soon shall Allah give the believers a mighty
wage,

147. (UjJU •• • r *Aj U) What will Allah 6 " do with your torment, if
you return thanks* 49 and believe? 95 * And Allah is ever Appreciative, 651 Knowing. GB2

641. (corresponding with their lowest moral depths). The hypocrites 'but*
ward conformity, cloaking an apposition ill concealed, was more dangerous than
open animosity/ (Muir, op. tit., p. 182).

642. (O reader !).

643. {of their hypocrisy).

644. (their ways, specially their habit of playing false to the Muslims).

645. (seekers of His goodwill and approval),

646. (in Paradise).

647. I, e n those who have been believers all along,

648. — the Benign One who is so unlike the malevolent, vindinctive deities
of paganism, and to whom surely infliction of pain is no pleasure—

649. (to your Lord for his countless favour, O ungrateful men t)

650. (in His religion, which is the only approved way of expressing your
gratitude), This clearly sho^vs tbot the attributes of mercy, compassion and loving
kindness are part and parcel of His essence, while His retributive justice is only
called forth by the handiwork of the rebellious creature.

651. (so He bestows immense reward for small services, and multiplies them
to His servants),

652. (so no service, however, trivial, can escape His notice).

IV. sfrftf-tffrWfra ^ ■ 381

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PART VI

148, (UxJU . . ♦ i^^mj n) Allah does not approve of the uttering of harsh

words, 1 except by one who has been wronged; 5 and Allah is ever Hearing, 3
Knowing. 4

149 Ovj^j ■ * ♦ t-iO Whether you disclose a good or conceal it or
pardon an evil, 5 surely Allah is ever Pardoning, Potent.'

150 (Hjl+« . . . ^\) Verify those who disbelieve in Allah and His mes-
sengers* 1 and would differentiate between Allah and His messengers 11 and say:
some we believe in and others we deny, and who would take a way in-between
this and that. 10

151. (U^i* . . , <_JXU) They are the disbelievers in very truth, 11 and We
have prepared for the disbelievers a torment ignominious.

152. (L^ao • • ♦ .vJ&Jl*) And as to those who believe in Allah and His
messengers and do not differentiate 12 between any of them, soon We shall give
them their wages; and Allah is ever Forgiving, 13 Merciful. 14

1. (respecting any one). This bans all forms of calumny and slander, and
interdicts the utterance or dissemination of ail statements likely to defame others —
apart from their truth or falsity — unless it be Tor some justifiable reasons,

2. (and he is seeking public redress),

3. (who readily attends to the cry of the oppressed).

4. (who is well aware of the oppressor's guilt),

5. (instead of seeking revenge),

6. So the covering of an evil with pardon by the aggrieved parly is highly
meritorious.

1. L t,, Able to inflict any punishment He chooses.

8, (by separating Him from His apostles).

9. (by professing to believe in Him in the abs tract, but rejecting His
Law. as propounded by His prophets and apostles).

382 Part VI

10. (accepting certain prop] jets as true and rejecting the others).

11. Their profession of faith in some of the Divine messengers to the
exclusion of others would he of no avail ; and no system of eclecticism in religion
would ever, do. Note the emphasis of the Holy Qur'an on the universality of
Revelation.

J 2, (so far as the fact of their messengership is concerned).
13. (so He will forgive the misdeeds of the new converts, which they
committed prior to their acceptance of Islam).

'^14. (so He will amplify and multiply His rewards).

IV. Surat-ul-Ni&a

38i

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SECTION 22

153. (Ua*^ * . . >-JlUj) The people of the Book 1 * ask thee 16 to bring
down a Book 17 to them from the heaven. But surely they asked Mus5 18 a thing
even greater than that; they said: 'show us God opanly'. Thereupon thunderbolt
overtook them for their ungodliness. 3 ® Then-" they took a calf 41 after there had
come to them the evidences. 82 Even so We pardoned that and We invested
MusS with manifest authority, 33

154. (tfiiiu * , . tX*j) ,) We raised the Tut over them for this bond.""
And We said to them: enter the gate 5 B prostrating yourselves: And We said to
them: do not violate the Sabt B * and We took from them a firm bond. 87

155. (juj , , , L*i) Accursed are they then for their breach of the bond
and their rejection of the commandments of Allah 2 * and their putting of the
prophets** to death without justification, and their saying: our hearts are sealed, 3 '
Aye! Allah 31 has seta seal upon them for their disbelief, 32 so they believe not
but a little. 33

156. (L*&* ■ ■ - (-9^ )) And for their blasphemy 31 and for the uttering
against Maryam 36 a grievous calumny. 3 *

15. i., t, t the Jews,

16. (O Prophet!)

17. (written in a celestial character as a miraculous evidence of thy mission),

18. {their own prophet),

19. (and arrogance). See P. I» nn. 228, 229.

20. ^j here marks off the two narratives, and does not denote sequence of

time,

21. {for worship). See P, I, n. 217.

22. {and proofs of Divine Unity, leaving not the slightest ground for
polytheism and idolatry),

23. (and great prestige ; yet neither Our incessant favours nor his great
prestige would cure this people of its arrogance and impiety).

384 p a n Vt

24. i*. e. } with a view to obtain their consent for the bond. See P. I,
nn, 283, 284.

25. i. e. t the out or gate of a certain city, Sec P, I, n. 239. AH these
events refer to the well-known incidents and episodes in Jewish history.

26. See P. I, n, 291.

27. (to the effect that they would implicity obey the commandments)

28. (in the long course of their history). See P. I, nn. 267.

29. (of their own race) See P. I, nn. 268, 269.

30. See P, I, n. 381.

31. (as the Ultimate Cause of all causes),

32. (and defiance). Note that the setting of seal on their hearts is a
necessary consequence of their own initial action— their deliberate and persistent
Homing of the Divine truths.

33. (and that little' belief is of no avail).

34. This particular blasphemy of the Jews consisted in their rejection of
Jesus (on him be peace !).

35. The saintly mother of Jesus (peace be on both of them \)

36. i. e, f going to any length in accusing her of immorality, [ n the ancient
Jewish 'Life of Jesus* (the Toldotk Jeshu) occurs the following :-*Now over against
the door of her house there dwelt a man of fair appearance (a warrior), Joseph the
son of Pandera : he cast his eyes upon her. [Seven verses are here omitted winch
relate the seduction of Mary by Joseph, she being under the impression that he was
her betrothed, until he came in later, and the mistake was discovered]. ('According
to the Hebrews/ p. 35) The outrageous slander is supported by the Talmud,

IV. SOtdt-ut-Nish 385

'•UU"i M _ «>- ^.. — =

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157. (U^Ij « ♦ . rtV^ Arid * or the * r say ' n ^ :2T we put t0 ^ eatn tlie
Messiah 'Isa", 3 * son of Mary am, a messenger of Allah. 39 Yet they killed him not, 40 ,
nor did they send him to the cross, 41 but it was made dubious to them. 1 - And
surely those who differ therein- 13 are in doubt about it;' 11 they h*".vo no true know
ledge thereof; they but follow a conjecture; 41 of a surety they killed him not,

158- (LjuCs*. . . . b) But Allah raised him** unto Himself/ 7 and Allah is
ever Mighty, 43 Wise, 4 *

153. (i&&£ i » . "iaV-j) And tnere ' s none among the people of the Book 60
but shall surely believe in him * before his death," and on the Day of Judgement
he shall be a witness against them. 53

160. (UjJtf . . . *],&*)) So because of the wrong-doing" on the part of
those who are Judafsed We forbade to them 65 the good things that had been
allowed to them and afso because of their keeping away from Allah's way,"

161 . tfc^jj , , , ^AsJ *) And also because of their taking the usury that
they were prohibited,* 7 and also because of their consuming the riches of men
unlawfully. 6 * And for the infidels among them We have prepared a torment
afflictive. 69

37. {with great boasting and bragging, as if the deed was creditable),

38. Tt were not only the Christians who made the Jews accountable for
the 'death* of Jesus, but the Jews themselves spoke with pride and delight of
their achievement. ' , . , . Then all the men of Jerusalem being well-armed and
mailed, captured Jesus And when his disciples saw that he was captive in their
hands, and that it was in vain to fight, they took to their logs, and lifted up their
voices and wept bitterly. And the men of Jerusalem waxed stronger and conquered
the bastard, the son of a woman in her separation, with his multitude, slaying many
of them, while the rest fled to the mountains.'' [According to the Hebrews, p. 46, f.n.).

39. The epithet is appended to emphasise the true rank and status of
Jesus, which is in-between the two blasphemous extremes of JudaJsm and
Christianity.

i ai c vi

40. So that the boast of the Jews was fake in addition lo hs being
bjasphtmous,

41. Crucifixion is the act or pulling to death by nailing to a cross, It was
in list', though generally restricted to slaves and rebels, amongst the Romans, under
whoso government Jesus arid his prosecutors, the Jews, lived,

42. It was not Jesus who was executed but another, who was miraculously
substituted (how and in what way is another question, anr" is not touched upon in
the Qur'an) for htm. This true doctrine regarding Jesus is shared by an early
Christian sect. The Basilidians maintained lhat Jesus 'changed form with Simon
of Cyrene who actually suffered in his place/ ( EBr, 11th Edi. Ill* p. 176).
'Irenaem says that Basilides 5 account of the crucifixion was that Simon of Cyrene
was crucified by mistake, and jesus himself took the form of Simon, and stood by
and laughed at them/ (ERE, IV, p. 833).

43. i, e,, the Jews and the various Christian seels disputing among them-
selves respecting Jesus and His fate.

44. i, *.,'" are groping in the dark ; have no true, historical knowledge.

45. i. e., are reduced to most slender and precarious speculations. That
there exists a mass of legends, full of discrepancies, regarding Jesus and very little
of historical, authentic material about him is also the verdict or the best modern
Biblical scholars. 'By their resemblances and differences, arguments and dtsargu-
men ts/ says a competent authority, referring to the traditional accounts of Josus,
'they raise many questions as to origin, relative dates and literary criticisms, which
have called forth a multitude of conflicting hypotheses and a most extensive critical
literature . . , , All that one may do with propriety is to indicate what he regards as
the most plausible opinion/ (EBi, c. 2435).

46. (bodily). See P. Ill, n. 470.

47. i, *., His place of glory ; the Higher Region. The Islamic conception
of Jesus as the Messiah, writes a Christian observer, 'agreed with that recorded in
the 80th Psalm and in Daniel's vision, where the Son of man is described as raised
from earth to heaven, not as come down from heaven to earth. It is the crown of
Islam that its author associated himself with original, not with Paulinic, Christia-
nity,* (De Runsen, Islam , or True Christianity, p. 154).

48. i, e fi Able to enforce His will in any circumstance,

49. (so He defeated and completely frustrated the plans of the rebels).

50. i. (,, the Jews.

51. t. 4,, the Prophet Jesus,

52. Every Jew, as he is face to face with the angel of death, shall perforce
believe in Jesus as a true prophet of God, though of course his faith at that moment
will not he of any avail.

53- (as to their rejection of his claims and his persecution at their hands).
54, i. e. t the long and unbroken record of wrong-doing.

IV. SuratulNf'sa 387

55, (by way or penalty).

5G, Not content with their own infidelity and impiety, the Arab Jews

dissuaded many pagans also from joining Islam.

57. **lf ihou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou
shall not be to hirri as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury/ {Ex,
22 : 25). 'But fear thy God : that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not
give him thy money upon usury, nor lend htm thy victuals for increase/ {I«c\ 25 ;
36, 37).

b8> i. e., by methods forbidden in the Mosaic Law.

59. (in the Hereafter over and above their punishment in this world).

388 Mart VI

rX^li ... .. . .#1 -oi\(^- j

"&tfj»$£ ^^dl'^e^

162. (ttgfci - * . ,.*0) But of them the well grounded in the knowledge**
and believers 01 believe in what has been sent down to thee* 1 * and what has been
sent down before thee and the establishes of prayer and the givers of the poor-
rate and the believers in Allah and the Last Day it is those to whom We shall

soon give a mighty wage.

SECTION 23

163. (\yy } . , , U\) Surely We have revealed to thee/ 8 even as We
revealed to NGh fl!M and the the prophets after him/ 4 and as We revealed to
Ibrahim*^ and Isma'Tl 6 ** and Is'hSq^c aru j Y< a qub**P and the tribes/ 6 and lsS* M
and Ayub"* and Yanus MC and Hgrun«0and Sulaiman; 65 * and to DSud* 6 ' 7 We
gave a Scripture,"*

164. (LjJjCj , . . jl,))) And We re vedfed to messengers of some of whom
We have narrated to thee before* 17 and of others of whom We have not narrated
to thee; 68 and to MOsS Allah spoke directly.**

165. (u^jCii, . ■ , JU j) We sent atl these messengers as bearers of glad
tidings 70 and warners 71 in order that there be no plea for mankind against Allah"
after the messengers; and Allah is ever Mighty/ 3 Wise/*

60. (of faith ; and therefore well-disposed to Islam)

61. i. e, t such of the Jews as have already embraced Islam,

62. {O Prophet i).

63. (O Prophet !).

63-A. Noah of the Bible; the progenitor of all Prophets.

64. The similarity consists in the essence and origin of all Revelation being
Divine, and not in its scope.

64-A. Abraham of the Bible (2160-1985 B.C.)
64-B. Ishmaelof the Bible (2070-1933 B.C.)
64-G. Isaac of the Bible (2060-1880 B.C.)
64-D. Jacob of the Bible (2000-1850 B.C.)

3B9
IV. SQrat-uhNisV _l_

65, i. e., minor prophets in the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel
65-A. Jesus of the Bible (6 B,C.-29 C.E.)

65-B. Job of the Bible,

65-C. Jonah of the Bible (782-740 B.G;)

65-D. Aaron of the Bible ; Elder brother of the Prophet Moses.

65-E, Solomon of the Bible (d. 932 B.C.)

65-F. David of the Bible (d. 962 B.C.)

66, w- signifies 'Any writing or book, on any divine book with which it
is difficult to become acquainted/ (LL) It may also mean the Book of Psalms,

67, [through the Qur'an).

68, Several of the prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur'iin while

others arc not.

69, This emphasises the special character of Mosaic revelation.

70, (of eternal bliss of the believers)*

71, (to the infidels),

72, i. e. lest men should have an excuse before God that they had not

been sufficiently forewarned,

73, u ('., Absolute Master ; justified in dealing with his creatures in any

way He likes.

74, (so that He does not leave the slightest excuse for the infidels).

390 Pan VI

yJ fc# ____ <&4&

1 66. (l^ft . . . ^xl) But lh Allah bears witness™ by what He has sent
down to thee," He sent it down with His own knowledge 78 and the angels afso
bear witness; 79 and suffices Allah as a Witness.

!67. (\*j*i . . . ,rf!j Surely those who disbelieve* and keep others from
the way of Allah, have strayed far away. 81

168. (Ujjfc - ■ . J\) Surely those who have disbelieved and done
wrong," Allah is not one to forgive them nor to guide them to any way.* 3

169. (!j**ui . . . JM J Except the way to Hefl as abiders therein for ever; 84
and this is ever easy with Allah. 84

170. (UaXss. - . . UjL) mankind! assuredly there has come to you the
Messenger with the truth** from your Lord; so believe 87 in Him that it may be
well for your.** And if you disbelieve, then surely Allah's is whatever is in the
heavens and the earth; 89 and Allah is ever Knowing,* Wise.* 1

75, The verse proceeds to establish the truth of the holy Prophets's
messengership,

76, (to thy apostleship) i. e,, He establishes it in the eyes of mankind.

77, L e. t a Book so unique that its uniqueness alone is enough to
substantiate its claim of being the Word of God,

78, f, t. y perfected by His knowledge.

79, (to the truth of the Frophct*s mission).

80, & t„ continue in their unbelief in spite of powerful arguments to the
contrary.

81, (from the truth). This is their position in this world— wandering, lost

souls*

82, (to others by keeping them away from Islam).

83, Cf> the OT: — *So T gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and
they walked in their own counsels/ (Ps. 81: 12),

And the NT :— 'Wherefore God alio gave them up to uncleanness through

tV. SOrat-u/Nm 391

the Justs of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves-*

(Ro. 1;24)

84. This shall be their plight ill the Hereafter.

85. I; e. f causing Him no exertion or difficulty.

86. t. e., with rightful claims and with perfect arguments. Mark once
again the universality of the Prophet's mission. The address is to mankind in
general, not to the Arab nation.

87. (in him and his mission).

88. (both in this world and the Next). Notice for the hundcredth time
that Islam is all for our own good, both material and spiritual,

89. (so it is you who shall suffer, and He could not be harmed in any way
by your denial and unbelief).

90. (so He knows the guilty at this very moment).

91. (so he defers their punishment in consonance with His universal plan,
to the Hereafter).

392 Putt VI

— ■ 'j^^b^y^fc^j uu -

171- ('h$s * * « pt^j) O people of the Book! 9 * do not exceed the hounds
fn your religion/ 3 and do riot say of Allah save what is the truth. 51 The Messiah

'Is 3, son of Maryam, is but a messenger of Allah 8 * and His word 110 He cast it

upon Maryam* 7 and a spirit* 8 from Him. Believe therefore in Allah* 9 and

His messengers, 1 ™ and do not say: 101 three, 101 Desist 103 that it msy bo well for
you. Allah is but the One God; 101 hallowed be He that there should be upto
Him a son! 105 His is whatever is in the heavens and the earth* " and suffices
Allah as a Trustee! 14 "

SECTION 24

172. (LtiAS. , . . .J) The Messiah 10 * does not disdain that he should be
a Servant of Allah, 30 " nor do the angels brought near 110 to him. And he who
disdains serving Him and is stiff-necked, soon' 11 He shall gather them all unto
Him, 112

173. (IjjwiJ « . - Uti) Then as to those who have believed and worked
righteous works He will give them their wages in full and will give an increase 118
out of His grace. And as to those who disdained and were stiff-necked, He will
torment them with a torment afflictive. And they shall not find for themselves,
against Allah, a protector or a friend.

174. (Uj~j^» . . • LjjLj) mankind I there surely has come to you an
argument"* from your Lord and We have sent down to you a manifest light. 114

92, Hero it h the Christians who arc meant.

93. (by ascribing Godhead to Jesus). Referring to the 'offensive zeal of
Eutychian and Jacobite partisanship' in regard to 'the sacred dogma of Trinity'
in the Syrian Christianity of the Prophet's time, and to 'the worship of Mary
exhibited in so gross a form as to leave the impression .... * that she was held to
be a goddess/ laments a Christian student of Islam; — 'Lamentable, indeed, is the
reflection that so small a portion of the fair form of Christianity was disclosed by
the ecclesiastics and monks of Syria to thir earnest inquirer; and that little, how

IV. SOrat-ut-Msa

393

altered and distorted! . , , , We may well mourn that the misnamed Catholicism of
the Empire thus grievously misled the master mind of the age, and through him
eventually so great a part of the eastern world/ (Muir, op. cit. pp. 21-22). The
HcllcnizaLion, the Romanization, in a word, the pagan isation of the Christ's religion
was complete by the time of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an.

94- (and the first truth regarding God is that He is One without a

second).

95. (and not His son or incarnation, as you assert in your blasphemy),
'According to the doctrine of the apostles at Jerusalem/ or original Christianity.
'Jesus ivas the Christ as the anointed man, not as the incarnate Angel-Messiah born
by a virgin, nor as the man united with the celestial Christ by the Holy Spirit
These conceptions of an Angel- Mess! ah, or a double Messiah, were not recognized
by the Massora, by Jesus, by the twelve apostles, or by Mahomed/ (De Bunseno^.

cit., P.- 14). Sec n, 39 above.

96. i. #., born out of His word, without the ordinary instrumentality of a

father. Sec P, III, nn, 388, 414.

97. L e. t He "transmitted it to Mary by an angel.

98. i, t. t a being possessing soul from God direct.

99. The One without a second ; the Eternal,
100. (according to their true teachings)..

10 L When speaking and predicating of God.

102. Trinity denotes the central doctrine of the Christian religion. It
means that God 'is three really distinct Persons,— the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost. Each of these Persons is truly the same God, and has all His infinite
perfections, yet He is really distinct from each of the other Persons .... These
Persons are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial, and deserve co-equal glory and
adoration, which the Church expresses in the oft-repeated prayer : "Glory be to
the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost." (CD. p. 973). The Book of
Islam * found in the dogma of Trinity what every emancipated thinker finds on
impartial reflection— an absurd legend, which is neither reconcilable with the first
principles of reason nor of any value whatever for our religious advancement. In
the Brahmanic religion the Trimurtt is also conceived as a "divine unity" made up
of three persons — Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Sustainer); and Shiva (the
Destroyer)/ Haeckel, Riddle of the Universe, pp. 226, 233. "They divided the Divine
Trinity into three persons, each one of them being God and Lord ; and thence a
sort of frenzy has gone fourth into the whole of theology, and thus into the
Church. .... It is a frenzy, because the minds of men have been driven by it into
such a delirium, that they do not know whether there is one God, or whether there
are three : there is one in the speech of lips, but three in the thought of the mind/'
(Swedenborg, The True Christian Religion, p. 5). 'The Nicene Creed really 'teaches
three Divine Persons and denies three Gods, and leaves us to guess what else is a

394 Part Vf

Divine Person but a God or a God but a Divine Person/ (Newman, Phares o/Fmth t
p, 33).

103. (from holding a doctrine so flagrantly blasphemous and preposterous),

104. (with no second or third Person to share His substance and attributes)

105. i. t. y to impute fatherhood to Him is most derogatory to Him. The*
expression 'son of God,' even if used by Jesus, 'meant no more than a man who
subordinates himself and his own will to God, as a human son does to his human
father, and may in consequence feel assured that he has God's love, in the way in
which Jesus himself has expressed it : Love your enemies and pray for them that
persecute you,, that ye may be sons of your Father which is in heaven/ (Schmiedet,
Jesus in Modern Criticism, p, 40).

106. That is the true relationship that exists between all the creatures and
their Maker and not that of sonship and fatherhood*

107. L *., He is the sole Arbiter, the Disposer of all affairs, needing no
Redeemer or Mediator.

108. (himself),

109. L #., a true worshipper and obedient servant of God. Cf. Christ's
own words as recorded in the Christian Gospels; 'My meat is to do the will of him
that sent me, and to finish his work* (Jn. 4: 34). 'If ye keep my commandments,
ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and
abide in his love/ (15; 10). And Peter, an apostle, has in the course of a long
address used the following words : 'Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
among you , . . , ' (Ac, 2 : 22). These words, according to the best Biblical
scholars, describe Jesus as he was known and regarded by Ids contemporaries*
*He was "found in fashion as a man," that is, in all particulars which presented
themselves to outward observation. He appeared and behaved as one of the
human race. He "was made man," The Gospels leave no room for doubt as to
the completeness with which these statements are to be accepted .... He not only
made no claim to omniscience : He distinctly waived it i ♦ . ; There is still less
reason to predicate omnipotence of * Jesus. There is no indication that he ever
acted independently of God, or as an independent God, Rather does he
acknowledge dependence upon God, by his habit of prayer and in such words as
"this kind goeth not forth save by prayer/* Ho even repudiates the ascription
to himself of goodness in the absolute sense in which it belongs to God alone/
(EBr. 11th Edi, XIII, p. 24).

110. This knocks the bottom out of the Christian angelolatry. In the
Catholic Catechism one comes across the following daily prayer addressed to *Our
Angel Guardian/ *0 Angel of God, to whose care I am committed I enlighten and
direct me, defend and govern me this day, and during my whole life! Amen/
This adoration of the angels 'can be traced to the earliest ages of the Church. We
venerate their excellence and petition their ministrations. The month of October

IV. SDrat-uf-N/sS 395

is specially dedicated to (horn and the feast or all the angels is celebrated in common
with that of Michael, on 29th Sept/ {CD. p, 44). Also sec P. Ill, n, 586.

111. *". e. t on the Day of Judgment,

112. -to answer for their misdeeds),

113. {superabundantly; over and above what is their due}.

J 14. (in the person of the holy Prophet). JjL, is 'the finest, strongest, or
most valid t evidence or proof, which is such as even necessarily implies truth, or
veracity, as its consequence, or concomitant.' (LL)

115, i. *,, the Holy Qur'an.

396 Part VI

* '. — — ;

&&#&& —

175. (U^ax-*^ * * . L*U) Then as to those who believe in Aflah llc and
hofd fast by Him, 117 soon Ho will admit them ,ls to His mercy and grace and will
lead them to Himself by a path straight.

176- L4JU * . • iJ^jWjUo) They 116 ask thee for a pronouncement, 120 Say
thou: Allah pronounces thus in the matter of one without falher 121 or child; 122 if
a person perishes and has no child 123 but has a sister, 1 ** hers will be the half of
what he has left; 126 and he will be her heir 1 * 6 if she has no child; 127 if there be
two* 28 sisters, then theirs shall be 12B two-third of what he has left; and if there be
both brothers and sisters/ 311 then male will have as much as the portion of two
females, 1 * 1 Allah explains this to you 132 lest you err, 155 and Allah is Knower of
everything, 1 **

116. i. e t) in His unity, absolute and unalloyed.

1 17* *\ e., by His law and commandments.

1 18, t. *,, the believers in Him, His apostle and His Book,

1 19, t. <?,, certain people,

120, (regarding certain cases of inheritance, O Prophet !),

121, (and mother).

122, (male or female).

123, (and neither father nor mother).

124, (or a half-sister)

125, (of course, after debts and funeral expenses have been disbursed, and
the other half will go to the residuaries, if any ; if there is no residuary, it also will
revert to the sister).

126, (inheriting her whole substance, in case the sister predeceases him).

127, (and neither father nor mother).

128, (or more).

129, (between them).

130, (several in number, as heirs),

131, See P. IV, n. 548,

132, (these precepts regarding succession).

133, (from ignorance). J in the phrase is synonymous with jrjLj.

134, (including all human needs and exigencies).

397

APPENDIX ON POLYGAMY
(See Surat-ut-Nisa\ v. 3, P. IV, n, 498)

So this is polygamy ! And this is the much-maligned Holy Text, with
necessary explanations in the parentheses. It recognizes monogamy as the ideal,
but also allows polygyny as a safeguard against much greater social evils. The
verse limits the number of wives to four, and permits no more. The injunction of
course holds good for all times, but it was first promulgated at a time when poly-
gyny, with no limit or restriction, was the law rather than the exception.* The
word 'polygamy* which every Christian mouth has been taught to pronounce with
scorn, has in effect become, in the English language a synonym for almost unbridled
gratification of sexual desire, and is now altogether tinged with disreputable
associations. The institution, we are told in terms of pious horror, disorganises
society, and strikes at the root of public morals, and that it is pre-eminently this
evil that has more than counterbalanced any benefits that Islam may have
conferred on humanity.

Is the indictment, even in an appreciable degree, just ? The question may
well be resolved into three sub-heads :—

(t) Is polygyny unnatural ?
(it) Ts it immoral ?
(Hi) Is it irrational ?
1 . To answer the first question first. Is polygyny opposed to man's natural
instinct ? Is man, by nature or even by long-established habit, monogamous ?
Let the European anthropologists and sociologists of repute, themselves favouring
and advocating monogamy, answer, 'In general a gregarious life/ says the French
savant, M. Letourneau, 'a life in association, favours polygamy/ Now man is
surely the most sociable of animals, therefore he is much more inclined to polygamy*
(Evolution of Marriage, p. 122). And further:— 'The most civilized nations must have
begun with polygamy, and, in reality, it has been thus everywhere and always. In
the various civilized societies, living or dead, marriage has commenced by being
polygamous. It is a law which has few exceptions/ (tfr, p. 134). Monogamy far
from being defended on the score of its 'naturalness' no anthropologist of note has
even maintained that monogamic marriage was natural to male human being. The
evidence is all the other way, and we learn on the best of authorities that 'as an
institution polygyny exists in atl parts of the world/ (EBr. XIV, p, 949} and that

*' Polygamy was the mte among the Eastern peoples hefore Muhammad's time,* (Roberts,
op* ciU, p, B)

398

it has flourished among the Hebrews, tlie Slavs, die Teutons, the Irish and the
Indians; none of the Hindu law-gtvers ever restricting 'the number of wives a man
is allowed to marry/ (ib,, XVIII, p. 186). One may choose to dub polygamous
communities barbarians or savages, yet there is no denying the fact that a very large
proportion of mankind has practised polygamy in the past, and is practising in the
present, without any qualms of conscience, and the myth of monogamy being the
normal marriage relationship has been continually exploded by the actual fact of
man in all ages and in many places taking unto himself several wives. 'Man% says
G. R. Scott, 'is essentially polygamous, and the development of civilization extends
this innate polygamy/ {History of Prostitution, p. 21 ),

Even that acute observer, Professor Westermarck, has been led to remark : —
*Among pastoral peoples I have found none that can be regarded as strictly
monogamous/ {op. cit, t p. 230), He adds that polygamy existed 'among most of the
Indo-European peoples, and among the ancient Slavs/ (ib., p. 234).

M > Lennan, the famous author of Primitive Marriage, asks a question as plain
as possible : *What ancient nation can be named that was originally monogamous V
(quoted in Darwin's Descent of Man, p. 222). That man is in this respect, as in many
other respects, essentially different from woman, has been well noted by the students
of biology > 'Woman is/ says Dr. MercJcr, *by nature a monogamist; man has
in him the element of a polygamic/ {Conduct and its Disorders Biologically Cotisidtrtd,
pp* 292-293), And N. W, Tngalls, Associate Professor of Anatomy in one of the
American Universities, has gone so far as to suggest a biological reason for
polygyny : — 'Has man always been essentially monogamous or has he come up from
a state often designated as promiscuity ? The available evidence points to the
latter. As an animal, in his sexual make-up, and in his beginnings as far as we can
reconstruct them, he is anything but monogamous ; and one would have great
difficulty in explaining, biologically, such a sudden change of heart, the transition
from the harem to a single wife/ (Wile, Sex Life of the Unmarried Adult, p. 88),

2* So far with regard to the charge of 'unnaluralness*. Next, is the insti-
tution inherently immoral ? Is it rcvolling to the innate moral sense of humanity ?
Was it unknown to, or repudiated by Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and other
prophets and recognised founders of religion in the East ? The answer, which is
neither dubius nor contestable, is that * polygamy seems to have been a well-
established institution, dating from the most ancient times and extending to compa-
ratively modern days. The law indeed regulated and limited this usage/ ( JE. X,
p. 120). *In 'Biblical as in Talmudical times polygamy was a recognised institu-
tion/ (III, p, 210). The Mosaic law, far from interdicting polygamy, encouraged
it, 'Polygamy was the rule in Biblical days among the ancient Jews, and was
permitted and even enjoined in certain cases by the Mosaic law ... It is nowhere
forbidden, except to "bishops" in the New Testament (EBr„ XXU, p, 24). The
renowned Patriarchs practised it ; and so did the Judges, the Kings and the more

339

spiritually-minded amongst th« Jews. According to the EBi , a common Jew could
take as many as four wives, and a king up to eighteen. 'When the first wife proved
childless, polygamy, to this extent at least, was regarded a necessity/ (EBi. c. 2946).
In ancient India, in the age of great sages a plurality of wives was not only allowed
in theory but also practised. 'The practice of polygamy among the Vedic Indians
is abundantly proved by direct references in the Rig Veda and other texts, ihough
in the main monogamy is recognized as normal. In the case of the king four wives
are expressly mentioned. . .The heroes and Brahtnans of th« epic are frequently
represented as having several wives/ {ERE. VIII, p. 452).

Again, is the practice repellent even to the entire modern conscience ? Is
Christendom unanimous in condemning it ? What, then, about the Anabaptists
and the Mormons who not only permit but advocate 'polygyny with* much religious
fervour* (EBr. XVIII, p. 187}. And what about the sixteenth-century German
'reformers* sanctioning second and third marriage in ceitain cases, and Schopen-
hauer (d. I860) commending the Mormons for throwing off the unnatural
bondage of monogamy* and Edward Hartmann (d. 1906) laying down the proposi-
tion that *lhe natural instinct of man is in favour of polygamy, and that of woman is
in favour of monogamy ?" {Roberts, op. ciL t p. 9). In the admirable and succinct
sn mining up of Professor Westermarck 'polygyny has been found even in Christian
Europe ...In the middle of die 6th century Diarmait, king of Ireland, had two
quctms and two concubines. Polgyny was frequently practised by the Merovingian
kings. Charlemagne had two wives and many concubines ; and one of his laws
seems to imply that polygyny was not unknown even among priests. In later tunes
Philip of Hesse and Frederick William II of Prussia contracted bigamous marriages
with the sanction of the Lutheran clergy.* (EBr. XVITT, p, 186).

Then, again, does polygyny necessarily connote a low status of womanhood
and invariably assigns to the wives a position of inferiority and degradation ? And
are co-wives always unhappy ? The hypothesis is, on the face of it, untenable.
Apart from the cases of thousands of the Muslim families spread all over the world*
where co -wives [ive in perfect peace and contentment, under other simple cultures
also where a patriarchal system is the order of the day, 'plural marriage is more
often a matter of prestige or economics than of sex ; and while there is a distinction
of function as between man and woman . * "".the woman will herself often urge her
husband to take another wife, to increase the prestige of the family and to ease her
own labour in supplying him with food.' (EMK, V, p, 2340),

3. Lastly, is the institution of polygyny utterly 'irrational*— so clearly
opposed to sound reason and commonsense that under no possible scheme of things
it shalt be feasible ? Let the answer, once more, come not from the Muslim East
but from the Christian West,

What about the problem of 'surplus women'? What solution other than
'part-time marriage* has yet the ingenuity of the European mind evolved ? 'In our

400 ^

own century/ says Sir George Scott referring to England, 'there haw boon not a

few who, noting the preponderance of marriageable women over mm since the

Great War, have considered the feasibility of introducing some sort of secondary

marriages for men, with minor wives/ (ib V, p, 2572). What else could the wise

men of the West suggest, when in 1650 at the termination of the Thirty Years*

War the population was greatly reduced and there was a considerable surplus of

females, but to pass a resolution that 'thenceforth every man should be allowed to

marry two women? (EBr. XVIII, p. 107).

Apart from the conditions of war even taking England in the normal state as
a concrete case this is what an English writer has to say. Summarising the census
figures of 1921, he gives the total number of unmarrk-d women (*, e, t the single, the
widowed and the divorced) without visible means of existence as 3,665,668 ; and
asks, * to what use does the nation put this unmarried and unemployed three and
half a million ?' (Macfarlane, The Case for Polygamy, p. 19). He proceeds :—' The
fact that polygamy has been practised is in itself a proof that the sexes do not exist
in the uniform proportion ; and I am yet to learn that any widespread scarcity of
women has been experienced in the past as a result of such a practice. Even if
there were an eqnal number of men and womon in the world the enforcement of
monogamous marriage would involve as its logical corollary the compelling of every
one to marry ... On this point alone, without the aid of any other argument,
monogamy as a universal system, stands condemned/ (p. 79), And then controvert-
ing the fatuous doctrine that polyandry is on the same footing as polygamy, he
observes: — 'It is mischievously and foolishly thought, and implied in our social
practice that the sexual needs of men and women are identical. Nothing is further
irom the truth* A woman's urgent need of man has, as ins ultimate instinctive
motive the bearing of the children; when that it achieved the desire for a man
becomes quite a secondary matter. On the other hand, a man needs women for
himself ... Both desires are complementary and fulfil each other; they are not
identical/ (p. 86).

Universal monogamy far from being the final and ultimate form of sex rela-
tionship is foredoomed, according to some of the modern European thinkers, even to
lose that hold which it now possesses. Dr. Gustave Le Bon of France, for instance,

envisages a condition of society in the West when European laws will have to lega-
lise polygamy while for the preservation of the pure Aryan stock, Professor V,
Ehrenfels regards the adoption of polygyny as a necessity. (Westermard/s op, dU t
p. 249).

Last but not least comes the considered dictum of a German Professor, Earnst
Bergman of Leipzig, delivered in the course of an essay on 'Knowledge and the
Spirit of Motherhood' in the year 1939: — 'Lifelong monogamy is perverse, and
would prove harmful to any race. Were this institution ever really enforced — and
fortunately this is almost never the case in reality — the race must decay . . . There are
plenty of willing and qualified youths ready to unite with girls and women on hand,
Fortunately one boy of good race suffices for twenty girls. And the girls for their
part would gladly fulfil the demand for children were it not for the nonsensical so*
called civilized idea of the monogamous permanent marriage, an idea in complete
contradiction to ail natural facts/ (Quoted in the Hindu s Madras, dated the 5th of
November, 1939).

V. SOrar-uhMa'ida

Surat-uhMaida
The Food-Table. V '

(Madinian, 16 Sections and 120 Verses)

In tha name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
SECTION 1

1- (&jjj * . . Lfc>L) you who believe [ fulfil your obligations, 1 **
Allowed to you are all cattle quadrupeds 136 except those announced to you, 1 * 7 not
allowing the game 138 while you are in a state of sanctity: 19 * 1 verily Allah ordains
what He will, 140

135. (consequent on your belief; arising out of your faith). ^JU titeralty
is a contract, a compact, a covenant, or an engagement. Thus the word ^ys*
here may mean, 'contracts, etc, or obligatory statutes, or ordinances of God j or
the covenant imposed by God, and those imposed mutually by men agreeably with
the requirements of the religion.* (LL). These 'compacts* comprehend all duties
towards God and man.

136. Hi*., four-footed animals such as goats, sheep, oxen and camel, and
those resembling them, such as antelopes, wild cows, etc.

1 37. (hereinafter).

138. (though lawful at other times).

139. (on your way to Makka, or within the Sacred Precincts) f \^ of
which the plural is ^ , 'applied to a man signifies entering into the ^ or
sacred territory of Metric ah or of El-Madenah ; . . . . o r .^ as meaning, in, or,
entering upon, the state of Jy^J* *■ '■> entering upon the performance of those
acts of the £,*>, or of the » v *j , whereby certain things before allowable, or lawful,
to him become forbidden, or unlawful.' (TX)

140. (in His infinite Wisdom).

402 Pan vt

<&*

2. (i_jU*/1 . . . tgj U) you who believe! do not profane the landmarks
of Allah 1 * 1 nor any sacred month," 2 nor the offering" 3 nor the victims with the
garlands, 1 " nor those repairing to the Sacred House seeking the grace and good-
will 145 of their Lord. And when you have put off the state of sanctity, li6 you may
chase, 1 * 7 . And let not the detestation for a people, because rhey 1 ** kept you 1 "
from the Sacred Mosque. 1 * incite you to trespass. 151 Co-operate with each
other in virtue and piety, and do not co-operate in sin and trangression. 1 " Fear
Allah, 163 verily Allah is Severe in chastising. 1 "

3, (jniss.) - - - (j>.*%jx) Forbidden to you are dead- meat, blood, swine-
flesh,"* any animal dedicated to other than Allah, 1 " the strangled, 1 ** the felled, 168
the tumbled, 1 " the gored, 180 the mangled by beasts of prey, 161 unless you make it
cfean lna by giving it death-stroke yourselves and what has been sacrificed on the
altars. 163 Also forbidden to you is partition 1 " by divining arrow. 106 All that is
an abomination. Those who disbelieve have this day" 6 despaired of your
religion 107 . So fear them not; 100 fear Me. 168 This day I have perfected 176 your
religion for you and have completed My favour upon you, 171 and have chosen for
you ISLAM as religion." 2 He who is driven to extreme hunger, 173 not inclining
to sin, 171 verily then Allah is Forgiving, 175 Merciful. 17 '

141. Such, for instance, as the rites prescribed for Hajj which are to be
respected. For sj;ij J U* see P, II, n. 87.

142. (by having recourse to fighting in that season).

143. (which is being led to Makka to be sacrificed there).

144. (in their necks to mark them off as sacred).

145. The pagans also at that time went to perform Hajj and 'Umra
according to their own rites. The passage says that infidels though they are, they
are not to be molested out of respect to these landmarks of Allah.

146. (and the pilgrim garb, and have returned to your common and'
everyday life).

147. (provided the game happens to be outside the Sacred Precincts).

V. Svrat-uf-Maida 4 03

148. i. f. t the pagans of Makka,

149. The address is to the contemporary Muslims with the holy Prophet, at
their head,

150. The. reference is to the Quraish having prevented the holy Prophet,
who with 1400 of the faithful, was on his way to Makka on a purely religious and
peaceful visit, from entering the Holy City. A truce for 10 years had been
concluded at Hudaibiya,

151. (the proper bounds, by taking revenge on them in the Sacred months
or in any ether way violating the sanctity of *JJ1jjI*£, natural though your
provocation may be).

152. i. e. t co-operate m righteousness; non-cooperate in impiety. As
universal maxims of justice the two commandments are of exquisite beauty,

153. (so that all difficulties will be removed, and practice of virtue will be
facilitated).

154. (those who violate His ordinances).

155. (it is the rigid observance of this command that, according to a
Christian scholar, *has emphasized the separate character of the Muslim community'
and has; put an obstacle 'in the way of social intercourse between them and the
Christians/ (Arnold, Islamic Faith, p. 14) See V. IT nn. 140, 145.

156. See P. if, n. 146.

157. €f, the NT: f Ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood,
and from things strangled/ (Ac, 15 ; 29) 'They keep themselves from things offered
to idols, and from blood, and from strangled/ (Ac. 21 : 25)

158. f. *., killed by a blow.

159. J. e. t killed by a fall.

160. (by the horns of an animal).

161. (or the animals trained up for hunting) -^ is any hostile beast having
a t^JUiv^ or tearing claw/ (LL)

162. (by slaughtering it in the proper, lawful way, while yet there is life in
it). By this ritual slaughter, even if it is done at the last moment, the animal is
saved from becoming mmla t and can be eaten.

163. {or, 'sacred stones J ; stones dedicated to gods). In pagan Arabia,
'sacred stones* served the purpose of an altar. x ^*x> signifies 'an idol ; or a stone
which the pagan Arabs set tip, to sacrifice, or slay animals, before it, or by it, and
which became red with the blood/ (LL)

164. (of the meat).

165. ^j: is 'An arrow without a head and without feathers: plural ^ :
which was applied to those divining arrows by means of which the Arabs in the
time of Ignorance sought to know what was allotted to them ; . . , . and they put
them in a receptacle, and when any of them desired to make a journey, or to
accomplish a want, or when he desired to perform some affair, he put his hand into

404 p 3 rt VI

that receptacle, ant! took forth an arrow j and if the arrow upon which was
"Command" came forth, he went to accomplish his purpose, but if that upon which
was "Prohibition" came forth, he refrained ; and if the blank came forth, they
shuffled them a second time/ (LL) *It was the custom to draw lots for joints of a
camel with arrows some feathered and others un feathered, kept for this purpose in
the temple of Mecca/ (Rodwell).

166. i. «. ry now. The verse was revealed on Friday, the 9th of Zul-Hijja
at 'Arafat, in itself a festive occasion in the 10th year of the Hijrah when the holy.
Prophet performed his valedictory Hajj, triumpant at the head of 1,20,000 devoted
and faithful followers, Memorable indeed was the address he delivered on this
memorable occasion. The following abridged version is by Lane -Poole (corrected at
one place) : —

'Ye people! Hearken to my words; for I know not whether after this

year I shall ever be amongst you, here again.
'Your lives and your property are sacred and inviolable amongst one

another until the end of time,
'The I.ord hath ordained to every man the share of his inheritance : a

testament is not lawful to the prejudice of heirs.
'The child belongeth (o the parent; and the violator of wedlock shall get

stoned.
'Ye people I Ye ha\'e rights demandable of your wives, and they have

rights demandable of you. Treat your women well.
'And your slaves, see that you feed them with such food as ye eat

yourselves, and clothe them . with the stuff ye wear. And if they

commit a fault which ye are not willing to forgive, then sell them, for

they are the servants of the Lord, and are not to be tormented.
V" *Ye people ! Hearken unto my speech and comprehend it. Know that

every Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim. AH of you are

on the same equality : ye are one brotherhood/
Then, looking up to heaven, he cried 'O Lord ! I have delivered my

message and fulfilled my mission/ And alt the multitude answered,

*Yea, verily hast thou.' *0 Lord I I beseech Thee, bear Thou witness

to it* ! and, like Moses, he lifted up his hands and blessed the people/

(LSK, Intro, pp. LXVIII-LXIX).

167. i. e,, have given up their fond hope that Islam could ever be
vanquished. By then the triumph of Islam was complete, and the solidarity of the
Muslim community had become marvellous — nothing short of miraculous.

168. (who with all the material resources at their command and the
superiority of their numbers had been proved uttterly powerless before the might of
the Lord).

169. (as the only object of dread; as the only entity entitled to the highest

Vf. SUrat-ul-Ma" ida

405

moral reverence),

170. (in every little detail and until the end of time, and which mankind
shall never be able to outgrow). The world, says an European convert 10 Islam,
'has not been able to produce a better system of ethics than that expressed in Islam ;
It has not been able to put the idea of human brotherhood on a practical footing as
Islam did in its supcrnational conception of "Ummat" ; it has not been able to
create a social structure in which the conflicts and conflictions between the members
arc as efficiently reduced to minimum as in the social plan of Islam • it has not been
able to enhance the dignity of man ; his feeling of security ; his spiritual hope ; and
last, but surely not least, his happiness. In all these things the present achieve-
ments of the human race fall considerably short of the Islamic programme. Where,
then, is the justification for saying that Islam is "out of date ?" (Asad, op. tit,,
p. 133).

171. (by having given you this true, perfect and final religion).

172. See P. Ill, nn. 290, 609.

173. (and partakes of some unlawful food by sheer necessity, of saving his
life). See P. II, n, H7 ft.

174. i. e., neither exceeds the limits of bare necessity, nor seeks the pleasure
of the palate. 'Not affecting an inclining to sin ; intending, or purposing it/ (LL)

175. (so He will overlook accidental lapses).

176. (and it is out of His unbounded mercy that He has made all such
concessions.

406 p ar t VI

jjjjffi -!jt.^S

a^c^^m- z^kW* $MX&&—

4 - (vU^saJf . , , i^g^jU^j) They ask thee, what rs allowed to them, 17 '
Say thou: allowed to you ore aft clean foods/ 78 and as to the animals of prey 1 "
which you have trained 180 as Allah has taught you,* 61 eat of what they 112 have
caught for you, and mention the name of Allah over it 1 * 3 and fear Allah f w verily
Allah is Swift in reckoning. 186

5 - (^ymfeJj . . , *j*Jt) This day allowed to you 186 are sil clean foods
and the meat of those given the Book 1 * 7 is allowable for you and your meat 1 ** is
allowable for them as also oil owed to you are 180 the wedded Jfl0 believing women
and the wedded women of those given the Book before you" 1 when you have
given them their dowers, taking them in wedlock, 1 " neither fornicating nor taking
as mistresses. 163 And whoso rejects the fafth, 1M his work will surely come to
naught, 196 and m the Hereafter he will be of the losers.

177. (of the animals chased by hound or hawk).

178. The meaning is: all animals, clean and lawful in themselves, are
retained for you as lawful, when chased by hound or hawk.

179. (whether beasts or birds),

180. (and trained to prey),

181. (through His Prophet).

182. i, t, t the beasts and birds of prey trained by you in the way prescribed.

183. (when ye let go the hound or the hawk after the game).

184. (in infringing any of His laws and commandments).

185. Or, 'Allah is to make a reckoning soon*. (Th)

186. (until the end of time ; with no fear of abrogation).

187. i. e. t animals slain and dressed by the Jews and Christians.

188. i. e., animals slain and dressed by the Muslims.

189. (allowed unto you),

190. See P. V. n. 2.

191. Notice the distinction Islam makes between a marriage with a Jewess
or a Christian woman and a marriage with a pagan woman. Notice again that the

VI. SOrat-uf-MS'ida 407

Jew an Christian wives are not asked lo renounce their religion forthwith.

192. Notice the emphasis on the purity of the motive and the procedure.
The object, in any case, must be permanent partnership in life, not the fleeting
pleasure of passion,

193. See P. V, n, 26,

194. Every act of making a forbidden thing lawful or a lawful tiling
forbidden is a denial of faith.

195. i. «., while he is in this state of virtual unbelief, his other good works
would not avail him.

few ^m^^m^m^m^m^.

SECTION 2

6, ( - ? ? <aj . , , l^L*) Vou who believe! when you stand up for
prayer wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, 15 * and wipe your
heads" 7 and v/ash your feet up to the ankles; 198 and if you are polluted, 199 purify
y ourselves. n * And if you are atling 201 or on a journey 203 or one of you comes
from the privy 203 or you have touched women, 20 * and you do not find water,* 06
betake yourselves to clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with k. zm Allah
does not mean to fay upon you a hardship, 207 but means to purify you and to
complete His favour upon you that perhaps you may return thanks. 208

7 - () 5 ^-aH * ♦ ♦ U;&U And remember Allah's favour on you 209 and His
bond with which He bound you firmly when you said; we hear and we obey, 210
And fear Allah; 311 surely Allah is Knower of what is in your breasts. 212

8- { ,jJ**J ' • . 1$j Lf) O volJ who believe! be maintainers of your pact
with Allah 819 and witnesses in equity, 214 and let not the detestation for a people* 15
incite you not to act fairly; 216 act fairly; that is nigh unto piety. And fear Allah;
surely Allah is Aware of what you work. 217

196, jj here has the significance of •*», and jfilKd! J I means, 'with
the elbows*, and not 'as far as the elbows"'- The elbow is meant to be included
among the pans to l>e washed, not to be excluded therefrom.

197* (with water). 'There is an ellipsis in the phrase ; the meaning being
*iJ\j f< M £)l 3 su»*t Vipe ye your heads with water/ (LL)

193. *jC^a»jS is grammatically coupled with +£i>fr, and *Xj*j1 , and not with
*&*$) . Referring to these careful preparatory ablutions observes a Christian
writer; — 'The scrupulous cleanliness of the Mohammadan, which contrasts so
favourably with the unsavoury state of Easterns of other creeds, is an excellent
feature in the practical influence of Islam.* (LSK, Intro, p, LXVI1I),

199. (by sexual acts). The emission of seed, whether in waking or in sleep,
makes bathing obligatory.

V, SOrat-uJ-Ma'/da 409

200, (by bathing). Contrast this emphasis on physical cleanliness with the
Christian view obtaining in the early Christian centuries. *Thc cleanliness of the
body was regarded as a pollution of the soul, and the saints who were most admired
had become one hideous mass of clotted filth. St. Athanasius relates with enthu-
siasm how St- Anthony, the patriarch of inonachism, had never, to extreme old
age, been guilty of washing his feet , ., St. Euphrasia joined a convent of one
hundred and thirty nuns, who never washed their feet, and who shuddered at the
mention of a bath/ (Lecky, op. dt., II, p. 47) A pious pilgrim, in the 4th century,
* boasted that she had not washed her face for 18 years for fear of removing the
baptismal chrism/ (£Ita I, p. 49). See P. II, ri. 478; XI, n. 67.

20J. {arid the use of water is likely to aggravate or prolong disease).

202. (and water is not obtainable nearby).

203. (in which case, a fresh witdhu or ablution of face is obligatory for
praying purpose).

204. t. c, have had intercourse with them, which makes bathing obligatory.

205. (for use) I. e., whether it is unobtainable or injurious to health.

206. Sec P. V. n, 129.

207. — on the contrary, He provides you with every facility —

203. {and the best way of returning thanks is to obey His commandments).

209. (in furnishing you with detailed directions for your good).

210. This is the pledge implied in the very act of the acceptance of Islam.

211. (by implicitly following His commands).

212. (so be sincere in cve ,- v act of devotion and duty).

213. (by implicitly following His commands).

214. (in the afTairs of men when called upon to give evidence).

215. (however justifiable in itself ).

216. (in their affairs whatever the provocation). The meaning is; be
always fair in your dealings with men and let no indignation, howsoever righteous,
against any person make your depart from the path of truth, justice and equity.

217. (so that none of your acts can go undetected).

410 P«t VI

AugK ' ^yv

9. {^bf . . . UJlJdi,) Allah has promised those who believe and work
righteous works that for them shall be forgiveness and a mighty wage.

10. kq mnfl ■ . . 1 aj4M ) ) And those who disbelieve and belie Our signs,
they shall be the inmates of the Flame,

11% ( iJUfJl . . . Uj U) you who believe I remember Allah's favour
on you when* 1 * a people* 18 determined to stretch forth their hands against you, 220
but He withheld their hands from you. 821 And fear Allah, and on Allah let the
believers rely. 42 *

218. (in the early days of Islam),

219. i. e, f the Quraish at Makka.

220. (so as to exterminate you).

221. (and at long last made you triumphant).

222. (in the future, as they have trusted in the past).

V. Surat-ut-Ma'ida 411

riiiCJi ^i^A $

f*kti^ti$$$®£&£&& ^-

SECTION 3

12. (j^Jl ... ±3} j) Assuredly Allah took a bond from the Children
of Israel*** and We raised from amongst them twelve leaders.' 24 And Allah sard:
surely I am B " with you; 82 * ff you establish prayer and pay poor-rate and believe in
My messengers and support them and lend to Allah a goodly loan, s,T I will
expiate for you your misdeeds and will admit you to Gardens beneath which
rivers flow," 8 then he of you who disvelieves thereafter has surely strayed from
the level way.

13, (^inj! , . . Ujj) Thus for*** their breach of their bond We
accursed them 230 and We made their hearts hard. 231 They pervert the words 83 * from
theft meanings 233 and have abandoned 23 * a good portion of that with which they
were exhorted. 335 And thou 230 wilt not cease to light upon defrauding* 37 on their
part, 238 save a few of them, 231 * yet pardon thou them* 10 and overlook them;** 1
surely Allah loves the well-doers, 2 **.

14, ( -*jUaj . * . .v* ? ) An ^ of them who say: we are Nazarenes, 8 * 3 We
took a bond from them, 2 " but they have abandoned a good portion of that with
which they were exhorted;** 5 so*" We have caused enmity and hatred among
them" 7 till the Day of Judgment 818 and soon 2 ** will Allah declare to them what
they have been performing 85 ' a// tfong*

15. t^M* . . . Jj&Ij) people of the Book! surely there has come to
you Our messenger* 51 expounding to you much in the Book that you were wont
to hide 25 * and much he passes over.*** To be sure, there has come to you from
Allah a light and a Book luminous, 2 "

223. (that they would receive His successive messengers with due respect),

224. (or 'captains*, to supervise that they acquit their charge faithfully).
Cf, the OT: *And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of
the house of his father/ {Nu. 1 : 4). And these tribes were twelve. 'And the Lord
spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of

412 Part VI

Canaan, which I give unto the Children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers
shall ye send a man, every o^e a ruler among them/ (Nu. 13:2, 3)* This time
again their number was twelve.

225. (and shall be).

226. (to watch your conduct).

227. (by contributing to the poor and needy and by financing the holy
cause).

228- Note that all these rewards are contingent on Israel's observance of the
bond to follow and obey the fresh prophets as they arise.

229. i, i., as a reprisal to.

230. i, *., estranged them from Our mercy and grace. For a series of
curses upon the disobedient among Israel. See Le. 26: 14-39; Dt, 31: 16-18;
Josh. 23 : 12-16.

231. Cf, the OT: 'They have refused to receive correction, they have made
their faces harder than a rock ; they have refused to return/ (Je. 5: 3). *Yea!
they have made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law.*
(Ze. 7: 12).

232. (of Torah), The reference is to the religious leaders of the Jews,
See P. I, n. 323; P. V. n. 143.

233. Look at the Jews* own estimate of the correctness and accuracy of their
Bible : — 'We may infer with certainly that the ancient copies of the Torah contained
no vowels or accents, and that these have come down to us by oral tradition. For
the multiplication of copies, human copyists had life be employed. It is by no means
contrary to our faith in the Bible to assume that, as far as the human work of these
copyists is concerned, it must have been subject to the fate of all human work, to
error and imperfection. And, in fact, there are many copies of the Bible that
abound in mistakes; there are passages in Scripture thai vary in the different
manuscripts; hence numerous varioe lectiones met with in the critical editions of the
Bible. 3 (Friedlander, Tftt Jewish Religion, p. 53) See P. I, n. 325, fT, P. V. n. 143.

234. The proper significance of ^j is to dismiss something from one's
mind cither wilfully or involuntarily. In the context the word connotes the sense of
deliberate abandonment.

235. (in their Scripture) r. e, t they are bereft, to a very large extent, of the
benefits of the Torah.

236. (O Prophet !),

237. i. e. t deceitful practices; literary! forgeries.

238. , t. *., they are still busy in tampering with their holy texts, retaining
what suits their purpose and suppressing what does not.

239. (and these few have already embraced Islam).

240. i. e. t bear thou patiently with them.

241. i. €,, refrain from exposing publicly their frauds and forgeries.

V. Surat-uf-Ma'kfa

242* The phrase implies the high merit of forgiveness and tolerance,

243. *. *,, we are the people of .Jesus of Nazareth.

244. (to the effect that they would believe in the Final Prophet). Witness
numerous references to him, the well-known and well-recognized "that Prophet'*
or "the Prophet" found even in the garbled text of the modern Gospels :—* And
this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to

ask him, Who art thou ? . . . . Art thou that prophet !*And he answered, No

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not
that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that Prophet/ (jn, 1 : 19,21, 25). 'Jesus stood and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink .... Many of the
people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Or a truth this is the Prophet/
(Jn, 7 : 37, 40). 'If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father,
and lie shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.*
(Jn. 14 : 15, 16) 'It is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I wilt send him unto you. And
when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment/ (Jn. 16 : 7, 8).

245. And the most serious loss they have incurred is their abandonment of
monotheism, and its substitution by trinitarianism— a flagrant variety of polytheism.
According to an impartial observer, a famous biologist of Germany, 'Christian
monotheism shared the fate or its mother, Mosaism ; it was generally only monothe-
istic in theory while it degenerated practically into evey kind or polytheism/
Haeckcl. op. at., p. 232) See also n, 235 above.

246. — as their punishment in this world—

247. i. *., among the Christian sects and sub-sects. The reference here is to
the permanent and perennial 'war of creeds within the Church' and not the
political antagonism between the European states which happen to be Christian —
some of them only in name. The Catholics are, from the Protestant stand-point,
no better than 'Popish persons, who . . ♦ . desire still to keep the people in ignorance
and darkness/ (See dedication of the AV to King James). In a similar vein the
Catholics point their finger to the amount of 'immorality and corruption prevalent
among Luther's followers/ (CD. p. 815). And the wordy acrimony has frequently
given place to severe religious persecutions, and even massacres. Tn Dean Milman's
admirable summing up of the Church history, 'Bloodshed, murder, treachery,
assassination, even during the public worship of God— these are the frightful means
by which each party strives to maintain its opinions and to defeat its adversary
(quoted by Lecky, History of European Morals, II, p. 82 n>) 'After having been
persecuted by the pagans, the Christians persecuted each other over nonsensical
follies. They killed, imprisoned or exiled each other over the word homooeshs or the
sense of the word pheysis, nature, which the Nestorian school of Antioch understood
differently from the Monophyske school or Alexandria. (Dermingham, Life of

414 = Part IV

Mohammed, p. 1J7),

248. 'A prophecy which thirteen centuries have not falsified/ (ERE. X,
p. 544) 'There is an Abyssianian proverb which says that the Christians never
agree except on one point, the birth of Christ. (Dermtngham. op. ciL, p. 1 17)

249, :, t. t in the Hereafter.

250. (and punish accordingly).

251, {as the Final Prophet).

252. (without himself being learned in your Scriptures at all), L *., guided
and aided as he is by Divine knowledge, himself being illiterate, he brings to light,
whenever required in the interests of religion, many of the things in your Scriptures
which ye seek to conceal,

253, (out of his modesty). This refers to that portion of the Gospel the

exposition of which is not immediately imperative.

254 ' e^M im P»"es that the Holy Book is not only in itself imbued with
shining light, but it also makes other things clear and bright.

V. Stirat-ui-Ma'ida 415

16. ^k^s^ i . , ±Mil With it Allah guides those who follow His good-
will" 5 to the ways of safety, 25 * and He brings them forth out of darkness 1 " into
the light*** by Hrs command, 289 and guides thern on to the right path.

17. f-iiaJ , t > Li,*') Certainty they are disbelievers who assert: 2 * Massih,
son of Maryam.,* 111 is the very God himself* Say thou: tes who can avail in aught
against Allah, if He meant to destroy Christ, 5 * 3 son of Maryam, 8 * 1 and his mother* 15
and those on the earth altogether ? SM And Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens
and the earth and what is in-between, 2eT He creates whatever He will, and Allah
is Potent over everything,

255. Note once again that they alone can profit by the Qur J an who are
willing to be helped by it, although the 'ways of safety* it shows are open'to one and
a]].

256. (both in this world and the Hereafter).

257. (of sin and infidelity)*

258. (of bel i ef and pi ety ) .

259. (and grace).

260. {and believe). 'Those who asserted that their God was a man, and
that a crucified man was their God, laid themselves open to the accusation that they
were idolaters and blasphemers.'' (Denison, op. cii. t p, 286).

261. The reference here is mainly to certain less well-known varieties of
Christianity, such as Docetism, Monarchianism and Sabellianism, which rest on
some such propositions are the following : — 'That one and the same God is the
Creator and Father of ail things; and that when it pleased Him, He appeared.'
'When the Father had not been born, He yet was justly styled Father ; and when
it pleased Him to undergo generation, having been begotten, He himself became
His own Son, not another's.* 'Father and Son, so called* are one and the same
substance* not an individual produced from a different one, but Himself for
Himself.* (ERE. VEII, p, 779) 'Modalistic monarchtanism conceiving that the

416 Part VI

whole fullness of the Godhead, dwelt in Christ.. . , maintained that the names
Father and Son were only different designations of the same subject* the one God./
(EBr. XV. p, 686), But hardly distinguishable from these 'heresies' and equally
bewildering to the Muslim mind is the accepted central doctrine of the orthodox
Christianity : 'Jesus is very God of very God t who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven and was made Man/ His nature is 'con substantial* with
God. 'He is not inferior to the Father, nor posterior, nor merely like unto Him t
but identical in substance and in essence with Him. He is truly God, God of very
God, consubstantial with the Father, as the Nicene Creed has it, having, or rather,
being, the Godhead no less than the Father/ (CD. p. 252), In short, for all
practical purposes the terms God and Christ are interchangeable. 'As early as twenty
years after the Ascension the doctrine of Christ's Deity was already finally established
in the Church. It is not argued about or proved, but assumed as one of those
fundamental ideas about which Christians are agreed. Thus it is stated that He
existed before He was born into the world, and indeed before all creation, in a
status of equality with God ; that He created the world as the Father's agent : . . ♦ .
that He is , . . , actually God, and therefore, to be worshipped with divine honours
by angels and men (Dnmmelow, op. «V., p. cviiiji Two references in the N. T-
itself are quite explicit, 'Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever*
(Ro, 9:5) 'looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ/ (Ti. 2, 13). See also p. XXII, n. 307.

262. (to these Chris tola tors, O Prophet !)

263. (a mere mortal, by death).

264. t. e.j son of a frail mortal woman,

265. (who also is adored and worshipped as a Divinity by a very large
number of the Christians), 'In the most widely distributed form of Christianity the
"virgin" mother of Christ plays an important part as a fourth deity; in many
Catholic countries she is practically taken to be much more powerful and influential
than the three male persons of the celestial administration/ (Haeckel, op, ctL t
p. 232). Even as early as the ^rd century, the titles of Mary as the 'Mother of
God* and as the 'Queen of Heaven*, 'were demanded by the more fanatical
Christians who claimed Divine honours for the ideal and prototype of virginity.
(DB. Ill, p. 289). 'Mariolatry is probably now more prevalent in the Church of
Rome than at any former time/ (p. 291). In the Orient there existed, in the
early centuries, certain (Christian) sects who worshipped Mary. The Collyridians,
says St. Epiphany, offered little cakes (colljtris) as sacrifices to the Virgin like those
offered to Ceres by the pagans/ (Dermingham, op, cit., p. 111). The title of
Thotokosj or 'Mother of God* was enforced on the Virgin Mary by the Oecumenical
Council of Ephesus in 431. According to the Roman Catholic Church God,
without ceasing to be God, in the characteristic phrase of St. Panl "implied
Himself** and %vas born in human form of Mary*s womb and she became Virgin

V. Stirat-uhMa'kta 417

Mother, the Virgin Mother of God.' (Ptoserpie, The Council of Ephtsus and the
Divine Motherhood t p. 4) To Catholics the Council of Ephesus is above all, the
Council of "Thotokos," Mother of God, From it dates the rise of that intimate
and personal devotion to Out Blessed Lady which ever since has found one of the
most beautiful and distinguishing features of the Catholic Church. Mother of God !
It is the form and centre and explanation of the worship we pay to her (p, 23), See
also P. VII, n. 199,

266. (with whom Jcsns is on a par in the attribute ofpowerlessness).

267. L *,, He is the sole Creator, the sole Author, the sole Ruler of the
universe, undivided into several 'persons'.

418

Part VI

18. (^^a*Jl . . » LsJtf,) And the Jews"* and the Nazarenes 209 say:
we l?0 are the children of God and His loved ones. 211 Say thou:" 8 why then does
He perish you for your sins? 2 ' 3 Ayel you are but men part of His creation. 274
He forgives whom He will, 275 and chastises whom He wilt-*"" And Allah's is the
kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is in-between, and to Him 2 " is
the return.

19. ( ;r j^,5 . . . Ja!j) people of the Book! there has come to you
Our messenger, after a cessation of the messengers, 2 "* expounding" 9 to you lest
you may say: 260 there came not to us any bearer of glad tidings or warner. 2 * 1 So
now there has surely come to you 28S a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and
Allah is Potent over everything, 2 * 3

SECTION 4

20. (^J*)| . , , Jtl .SI j) And r e- cal t wh&r\ Mus3 said to his people: 2 **
O my people! remember the favour of Allah on you when He made amongst you
messengers 26 * and made you 286 princes, SS7 and gave to you 288 what He did not give
to any people*** in the world. 880

21. (.,jj-*i. . . *>",,) O my people! enter the holy land which Allah
has ordained for you, 5191 and do not turn back, 302 for then you will become
losers. 863

22. (■jjiv&.j . . . I,!!,?) They said: O MusSS! verily therein area people
high-handed aM and we shall never march to it so long as they do not depart; if
they depart, we shall certainly march to it. 29 *

268. 'Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born/ (Ex. 4 : 22)
*Yo are the children of the Lord your God/ (Dt, 14: 1) 'When Israel was a child,
then I loved him, and called my son, out of Egypt/ (Ho. 11:1). 'The Israelites are
addressed as "the children of the Lord your God." When Israel was young, he
was called from Egypt to be God's son, *Thc Israelites are designated also the
"children of the living God." (JE. VI. p. 15),

V. SGrat-ul-Mrida

419

269. *As many as -received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name' (Jn. 1 ; 12), As many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God* (Ro, 8:14). 'Children of God' is a
title of the faithful in virtue of special adoption by God/ (CD. p. 204). 'Jesus
teaches that this relation of sonship to God is connected with bis own person, and to
be enjoyed through him/ {DB. IT. p. 217).

270. (as a race or community). The plural pronoun is here used in the
collective, not in the distributive sense. It refers to the Jewish people and the
Christian community, not to individuals.

271. L *,, His chosen people or community. *1 am a father to Israel, and
Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord, O Ye nations, and declare it
in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him,
as a shepherd doth his flock/ ( Je. 31 : 9-10) 'Speak unto all the congregation of
the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy : for I the Lord your
God am holy/ (Le. 19 : 2) 'Ye are the children of the Lord your God , . . , . For
thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to
be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth/
(Dt. 14; 1-2), And the Jewish rabbis have said: 'Beloved one Israel, for they are
called "Sons of the Highest" .... Even irthey are foolish, even if they transgress,
even if they are full of blemishes, they are still called "Sons" (quoted in Klausncr's
Jews of Nazareth, p. 377). So far with regard to the Jewish claims. Then as to me
Christian :— This sonship conferred on men depended not on human descent from
Abraham, nor upon the sexual relations of their parents, nor could it be bad for
willing or wishing it, I, *., human eflbrt. It was a free and supernatural gift from
God, inward and spiritual, implanted by the Holy Ghost, and dependent for its
maintenance on union with Christ/ (Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible,
p. 775). 'The specific condition of the "new man 3 ', in contrast to the "old", is

that of sonship and installation into sonship after the likeness of Christ's God

himself is the veritable Father of the Christian believer, the kindred fontal source of
his new life .... Baptism is to him [St. John] the normal condition under which
believers came to rank as "Children of God", in virtue of a manifest sealing by
Holy Spirit power/ (DB. IV, pp. 218-219).

272. (O Prophet ! to the Jews and Christians).

273. (as you yourselves admit).

274. i\ e., ordinary mortals like the rest of mankind.

275. (and His wilt to forgiveness is occasioned by right belief of which you
are destitute).

276. (and His will to chastisement is occasioned by unbelief which you
possess in plenty).

277.' (and not to Christ or anyone else),

278. (when old dispensations have ceased to exit anywhere in their purity).

420 Part Vt

Svl'i is *a cessation of the mission of apostles, and a sl£te of effaeement of the signs
of their religion/* (LL) or an interval of time between the disappearance of a
prophet and the appearance of another. The conception is not altogether unfami-
liar to the readers of the Bible. 'Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that
I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for *vater, but
of hearing the words of the Lord/ (Am. 8: II),

279. (the eternal verie ties).

280. {in the Hereafter, by way of excuse).

281. (and so we could not find guidance).

282. (in the Person of the Holy Prophet).

283. (so He deferred the raising of a prophet so long as He willed, and has
now raised a Final Prophet),

284. (after their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, to induce in them
readiness for holy war). This must have happened sometime between 1440 and
1400 B. C. According to the OT, Moses delivered this sermon on this side orjordan,
in the land of Moab/ (Dt 1 : 5).

285. (as in no other people). 'A succession of men so absorbed in the living
God .... cannot be found in antiquity elsewhere than in Israel/ (EBi, c, 3854)
'The term has received its popular acceptation from Israel alone, because, taken as
a class, the Hebrew prophets have been without parallel in human history in their
work and influence; (JE. X. p. 213).

28Q t i. «., the people of Israel as a whole. The pronoun J h here used in
the collective sense.

287. i. *,, masters of your own selves. A i_S&+ *? not necessarily a king.
He may be anybody possessing dominion, authority, or even independence. The
allusion may also be to the past history of Israelites, when in the time of Joseph,,
they were really a ruling nation,

288. (as a race).

289. (of the other races and nations).

290. The 'Unity of God* is the first lesson the Israelites were taught when
God revealed Himself to them on Mount Sinai . . ♦ . The Jews were the first nation
of monotheists. From them monotheism has spread among other peoples, who,
however, did not always receive or preserve it in its original purity (Friedlander,
op. cit, pp. 38, 39). For Israelite preference see P. L nn. 198, 199.

291. i, e. t the land of Canaan; vaguely referred to in old commentaries as
Syria. 'Behold, I have set the land before you : go in and possess the land which
the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give unto them
and to their seed after them/ (Dt. 1 : 8). 'And Moses called unto Joshua, and
said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage ; for thou
must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers
to give them; and thou shaft cause them to inherit it/ (31 ; 7), Its eastern limit

V, Surat-uf-Mrida 421

was at Beth Shcmesb. It included possibly 2,000 square miles of land, most of it
remarkably fertile* (DB. Ill p. 844), 'A rich soil, well-worked, and nearly all
capable of cultivation, (EBi. c. 3741).

292. 'Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them : for
the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee ; he will not fail thee, nor forsake
thee' (Dt. 31 : 6).

293. 'Losers* both in a spiritual and a temporal sense. Spiritually, because
of disobeying the command of the Prophet for the holy war; temporally, because of
being deprived of a land so fair and so vast*

294. (as also warlike and of gigantic stature). They were distinguished
specialty for military prowess." (DB. III,. p. 845). The Amalekitcs were excess-
ively warlike, well-armed, and fairly disciplined, having been long accustomed to
hold their own against the surrounding nations, with whom they had frequent
collisions,' (Rawlinson, Mosul His Life and Times, p. 139), It was f a country
defended by a multitude of cities, small, it is true, but with very formidable defences
and warlike inhabitants/ (Marston, The BibU is True, p. 183), The people were
also given to superstition and lewdness. To understand the Hebrew prophets and
their fierce indignation against Canaanite worship we must have in mind that with
such worship was associated the religious immorality which disgraces Southern
Indian temples at the present day. They were fired by a moral Indignation against
cruelty and lust/ (Drinkwatcr, Outline of Liter atute, 1, pp. 74, 75).

295. 'We be not able to go up against the peopte ; for they are stronger
than we .... The land , * . . is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all
the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the
giants ; the sons of Anak, which come of the giants : and we were in our own sight
as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight/ (Nu, 13 : 31-33). It was full summer,
probably about the end of July or the beginning of August, Palestine might at
once have been occupied, or its conquest at any rate commenced, if the people had
had faith. But, on the near approach of danger, their hearts failed them (Rowlinson,
Moses i His Life and Times, p. 177).

422 Pan Vi

23. ( .xk*$* « ; . J {}) Thereupon spoke a couple of man* 96 who feared" 7
God and whom Allah had favoured; 288 enter the gate 289 against them, then as
you enter it you will overcome, 3 *" and put your trust In God, if you are indeed
believers, 301

24. (jtf^J . . . ijlU) Yet the people said: MusS! certainly we shall
never march to it so long as they remain there, go forth thou and thy Lord, and
ffght you twain, 303 we remain here sitting. 30 *

25. ( .jjujJj • - . (l>) Musa" said: my Lord! I have no control over any
but myself and brother 31 " so decide Thou between us and this wicked people, 30 *

26. (yj^Ujtft . - : Jls) Allah said: verily then it so * is forbidden to them
for forty years, 3 "*' 1 while they shall wander about In the land, 307 so lament not thou
over the fate of this wicked people. 308

SECTION 5

27. ( .<y£fcj| •vW-JSly) And recite thou to them 90 " with truth 310 the tale

of the two sons of Adam, 311 when the twain offered an offering, and it was
accepted from one of them, 312 and was not accepted from the other. 3 ** He said: 31 *
I will surely kill thee. The other said: Allah accepts only from the Gotf-fearing. 3ii

296, t. e, y Caleb and Joshua : two of the twelve 'spies* deputed by Moses to
search out the laud and bring word concerning it and its people.

297, (to disobey God and His apostle). They were among the chiefs whom
Moses had deputed to discover the circumstances of the country and its people. The
Israelites in their nervousness had proposed -to their leader and lawgiver to send
men to bring a report on the condition of the country and the people before they
ventured an invasion ; and Moses had acceded to this request,

298, (inasmuch as they had remained faithful to their Lord and His
apostle),

299, (of the city).

300, {and they shall vanquish, because they are bodies without hearts) 'And

V. S Grat-ul-Ma'hte 423

Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it;
for we are able to overcome it/ (Nu. 13 : 30) Also JE. III. p, 498.

301. 'And Joshua .... and Caleb.... rent their clothes: And they
spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying,. . . . Only rebel not ye
against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land ; for they are bread for us:
their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us : fear them not. But
all the congregation bade stone them with stones/ (Nu, 14 : 6- JO}.

302. This answer of the Israelites has a tinge of polytheism about it, for
among the polytheistic people gods also were supposed to participate in war.

303. *And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried : and the
people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses
and against Aaron/ (Nu. 14: I, 2).

304. The main army of Israel, like that of all primitive nations, consisted
of the whole able-bodied adult male population, (EBi, c. 312).

305. L e. t decree Thou against each of us according to his deserts. The
Israelites were not only insubordinate, but they openly slandered and reviled Moses.
(JE. IX, p. 51).

306. i, e.> the promised holy land.

306A. The wandering lasted according to Sir Charles Mars ton's computation,
from 1440 BC. to 1400 BC.

307. i. #., in the wilderness of Sinai, 'Surely they shall not sec the land which
I swarc unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it/
(Nu, 14 ; 23). 'Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness ; and all that were numbered
of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old upward, which have
murmured against me, .... And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty
years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness/
(Nu. 14 : 29-33). 'After the number of the days in which ye searched the land,
even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years,
and ye shall know my breach of promise/ (Nu. 14: 34).

308. (O Moses !) Moses, true prophet of God as he was, pitied his rebel-
lious people, and was moved at their miseries. 'AH the injuries and slanders heaped
upon Moses by the people did not lessen his love for them/ ( JE. IX, p. 51).

309. i. *,, unto the people of the Book, O Prophet !

310. 'With truth* is added to distinguish the story as related here from its
corrupted form occurring in the OT,

311. i.e., Cain (Qabil) and Abel (Habll).

312. (because of his sincerity and the purity of his motives),

313. (since it proceeded from an impure heart).

314. (in rage and chagrin). The reference is to Cain the elder brother.

315. Compare and contrast with the Quranic narrative, replete with moral
lessons, the insipid and uninspiring version of the Bible (Ge. 4: 2-5, 8),

Part VI

28 (uX**"W ■ ■ • <#) If thou stretch est forth thy hand again s tme to
kill rne, I shall not be stretchfng forth my hand agafnst thee to kill thee, verily I
fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 31 *

29- (^lisJS . * • ^ij I would rather that thou bear my sin' 17 and thfne
own 31 " sin, and then thou become of the inmates of the Fire: that is the reconv
pense of the wicked.

30 " (tf*tt"*$ • ■ ■ t=**)W) Tnen nis m "nd niada the killing of his brother
pleasant to him, so he killed him and became of the losers.

Iis$f4<M0 • * ■ i±-**i) TJwn Allah sent a reven scratching in the
earth* 1 * to show how he might cover the corpse of his brother. 380 He sard; woe
unto me I I am incapable of being even like this reven so that I might cover the
corpse of my brother. And he was of the remorseful. 321

316. (and this fear of the Lord impels me to forego even the right of self-
defence)*

317. L e. t any sin or sins that I may have committed before, I being the
victim of thy unjust wrath.

318. (in slaying me).

319. {with its bill and talons to bury a dead raven).

320. As this was the first murder, in fact the first human death upon the
face of the earth, the murderer did not know what to do with the corpse and stood
puzzled;

321. i, *., sorry for his ignorance and folly, and not repentant over his guilt.
A sinful act may be followed by either of two painful feelings. One is called
remorse, but in that there is no merit. The other is known as repentance, which
alone is capable of wiping out the guilt.

V. SQwt-uf-Ma'ida

32. ( . } j„mJ . . ♦ 4V *) Because^of that 3S2 We prescribed to the Children
of Israel: 88 * whoso kills a person, except for 324 a person, or for corruption in the
land," 5 it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, 32 * and whoso brings life to
one' 27 it shall be as if he had brought life to all mankind. And assuredly there
came to them** 8 Our messengers with evidences, 829 yet even after that 330 many
of them are acting in the land extravagantly, 331

33- (**ke . . . Ut) The recompense of those who wage war against
Allah and His messenger, 032 and go about in the land making mischief 385 is only
that they shall be slain 833 or crucified 335 or their hands and their feet be cut off 3 * 6
on the opposite sides t m or be banished from the land. 338 Such shall be their
humiliation in this world, 33 * and in the Hereafter theirs shall be a torment mighty—

34- tf^f' . w&JlM) Save those who repent before you overpower
them: 3 * for know that Allah is Forgiving. 3 " Merciful. 3 "

SECTION 6

35. ( , 11iSk juj . . . l«j t,;) you who believe; fear Allah 8 " and seek
approach to Him. 3 " and strive hard in His way, 31s that haply you may thrive. 8 **

322. (which Cain did).

323. 'Whosoever sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed : for
in the image of God made he man/ (Ge. 9 : 6) And the following rabbinical
dictum has been quoted by Rod well : 'To him who kills a single individual of Israel
it shall be reckoned as if he had slain the whole race.*

324. i. e., in retaliation for.

325. t. «* t for creating disorder and bloodshed.

326. As the doctrine implies in Islamic jurisprudence the murder of an
individual is a crime against the whole community, or rather humanity, and there-
fore, it is the duty of the community to see to it that lawful vengeance through the
direct and lawful avenger lias its course.

426 part Vt

327. i. «., saves a life from, unjust murder, JLjpLj is here synonymous with
■*ISj1, and signifies the making one to continue in life and the preserving him alive.
(LL)

328. i, *,, the children of Israel.

329. (of their apostlcship).

,330. i, e,> after We bad impressed upon thorn the gravity of the sin of
unjustifiable murder even so much.

331. {some of them even going to the length of murdering the prophets of
God or plotting their murder).

332. (by violating the security granted by the Divine law),
333 ► i, t. y committing robbery and bloodshed.

334. (if they are guilty of murder only).

335. (if they are guilty of murder and robbery both).

336. (if they arc guilty of robbery only).

337. i, e. t right hands and left feet.

338. (if they have not yet committed murder or robbery, but are on the

point of doing so). Such criminals may also be segregated from society by being
placed in prisons.

339. Lest some of these penalties may appear 'barbarous* to some hypersen-
sitive Western reader, let him cast a glance on 'drawing and quartering/ a penalty
of the English Criminal Code maintained as late as the 18th century, 'inflicted on
those found guilty of high treason touching the king's person or government.. The
person committed was usually drawn on a sledge to the place of execution; there he
was hung by the neck from a scaffold, being cut down and disembowelled, while still
alive ; his head then was cut from his body and his corpse divided into four quarters/
Many were the Catholics of England and Ireland — since the profession of their
faith was declared high treason by law — who suffered this death. 'In the reign of
Henry III and Edward I there is abundant evidence that death was the common
pumihrnent for felony; and this continued to be vlie law of the land as to treason
and as to all felon ies, except petty larceny, down to the year 1826/ (Stephen's
History of the Criminal Law of England \ I p. 458), In contemporary English law,
robbery is larceny with violence; and the guilty is liable to penal servitude for life,
and, in addition, if a male, to be once privately whipped , . . . The elements of the
offence are essentially the same under American law. (EBr. XIX, p. 346),

340. i. e,, before they are arrested. So far as the rights of God are
concerned, the guilt of these penitents will be condoned,

34 L {so He will forgive so far as their sin of God is concerned),

342. (so He will show mercy by accepting their repentance).

343. (and renounce sin). A negative precept to acquire merit.

344. (through acts of duty and devotion). A positive precept to acquire
merit, £!**«. is » means of access to a thing; a means of attainment or accomplish-
ment.

345. (with might and main). This 'striving hard* includes fighting for
religion.

346. (and win the goodwill and pleasure of God — the highest goal
conceivable).

V. SDmt'Uf-MS'ida • 427

^&$$$&®k

36. (*j| . . . .J) Surely those who have disbelieved, if they 347 posses-
sed all that is in the earth and with it as much again to ransom themselves thereby
from the torment on the Day of Judgement it shall not be accepted of them, and

theirs shall be a torment afflictive.

37. /^, ^ ?s! ) They will long" 9 to escape from the Fire, but

they shall not be able to^escape from it, and theirs shall be a torment- tasting. 349

38. (^x^ . . . jjWk) ^ for the man-thief and the woman-thief, cut
off their hands 3 " as a recompense for what they have earned 351 a deterrent
punishment from Allah; 363 and Allah is Mighty,"" Wise"*

39. (^^s • * i .*-?) Tll6n whoso repents after his wickedness" 5 and
makes amends 3 *-* Allah shall certainly relent towards him. seT Allah is Forgiving, 36 *
Merciful. 356

40. (yj&s . . . <Jl) Dost thou not know 3 * that Allah's is the kingdom
of the heavens and the earth ? m He chastises whom He will,"* and He forgives
whom He will; 303 and Allah is Potent over everything, 364

347. i. e., every one of them. The plural pronoun is used in its distributive
sense,

348. (with ail the intensity at their command),

349. (t. *., never to be relaxed or lightened),

350. (from the wrist joint, O men of authority). According to the Hanafi
school of Islamic law, the penalty for the first offence is the amputation of the right
hand at the wrist ; for a second, that of the left foot at the ankle. But for a third
offence, no more amputation, but a long term of imprisonment— until the culprit
shall presumably reform (Hidtyn).

35 L (provided—

(i) the value of the thing stolen be not less than one dinar or

10 dirhams; and
(j'i) two male witnesses of good character give their testimony against
the accused, or he himself confesses his guilt).

428 Part VI

In addition, there are provisions in the Hanafi law to the
elfeci that *a thief's hands shall not be cut off for the theft of what
cannot be guarded, or is not worth guarding* being found in the
land in great quantity, such as dry wood, hay, grass, reeds, game,
fish, lime, etc., also such articles of food as are quickly perishable,
as milk, meal, fresh fruit, etc. , , , Finally, a thief's hand shall
not be cut off if the thing stolen hath no conventional value, even
though it be otherwise regarded as of great worth.' (Roberts,
op,, ci(„ p. 93), Cf. the laws of the OT:— *If a thief be found
breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be
shed for him/ (Ex, 22 : 2) 'If a man be found stealing any of
his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of
him, or selleth him ; then that thief shall die/ (Dt. 24 : 7),
Similarly in the Hammurabi, the Athenian, and the Roman codes,
theft is, in certain cases, punishable with death. And in the
common law of England, till a comparatively recent date, grand
larceny, or theft of goods above the value of one shilling in the
house of the owner, was a capital crime. (EBr, XIII, p. 721).

352. This emphasizes that the penalty prescribed is a Divine statute, and is
not to be taken lightly. Next to high moral education and deep religious upbringing
it is fear of consequences as world-wide human experience proves, that keeps in
check the very natural tendency, almost inherent in human nature, to stealing and
thieving.

353. (who has power and authority to issue any commands or decrees He
will).

354. (Who issues only such commands as befit His infinite Wisdom),
355* (in the way approved by the law) i.e., restitutes the property stolen

to the owner, or is forgiven by him.

356. (his life for the future).

357. i. t t , shall forgive him his sin ; shall not punish him in the Hereafter.

358. (so He shall forgive him his past),

359. (so He shall keep him guided in the future).

360. (O reader 1)

361. i. e, t He is their absolute Master.

362. (in accordance with the demands of justice).

363. (in exercise of His wisdom and mercy). This refutes the doctrine of
Karma as promulgated in some of the Indian religions, that there is no remission of
sins, and that God Himself is powerless to forego and forgive !

364. i. e„ He has a will of His own — Supreme Will ; and He can and does
exercise His judgment in every individual case. He is not a mute, inert, First Cause,
enchained by inexorable laws, and powerless to use His will.

V. SOrat-uf-M&fda 429

tfcjjfitf

i££x

"/ii/^i/i^ «>5r/.*C*riM£

•■.w

41. (^^ . , . i € j^) messenger! let not those 8 " grieve thee who
hasten toward infidelity from among those who say with mouths: we believe, yet
their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Judaised: listeners to
falsehoods, 3 ™ listeners 81 " to another people 3 * 8 who do not come to thee; 3 '* they
distort the words from their places, 370 saying ,3n If what you are given 3 " is this, 3 "
accept it, 374 and if that is not given you, be on your guard." 6 And thou shalt not
avail 37 ' against Allah*" in aught anycn^whom Allah wishes to try. 3 ' 6 These it
is whose hearts He would not purify;"* to them is humiliation in this world, 3 *
and to them in the Hereafter there shall be a torment mighty,

42. ( . 1r j.f rtJl ..*..H . . . ♦!+**-*) Listeners $re they to falsehood and devou-
red of the forbidden. 381 So if they come to thee 33 * either judge between them 51 *
or turn away from them. 3 " And if thou turnest away from them, they shall not be
able to harm thee in aught; 3 " and if thou judgest, judge between them with
equity; verily Allah loves the equitable. 3 "

365. {of the hypocrites, whether From among the pagans or from the people
of the Book).

366. (from their own chiefs and leaders).

367. (of thy discourses),

368. (only in their interest) *. e., as their spies ; as tale-bearers.

369. (out of pride and conceit),

370. Or, *from their meanings/ See P. V. n. 143.

371. (to those whom they send as their secret emissaries to the holy
Prophet).

372. (by the Prophet).

373. i. e. t what we tell you. The Jews are here pointing towards their

perverted texts.

374. The ringleaders used to say to their followers who, guised as believers,
joined the holy Prophet's company : if what you got there as Revelation agrees with
what we tell you, accept it.

430

Part VI

375. ' L e., reject lhat teaching,

376. (O reader!).

377. i. e> t against His natural laws of cause and effect.

378. (in consequence of his own will to go astray).

379. (since they themselves do not will to be cleansed).

380. Witness the frequent public exposure of the hypocrites, and the extir-
pation of the Jews in Arabia.

381. L c> greedy devourers of illegal gifts and presents against accepting
which the Jews had special prohibitions. "Thou shalt not wrest judgment ; thou
shatt not respect persons, neither take a gift: Tor a gift doth blind the eyes of
the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous/ (Dt. 16 : 19). Yet in the face
of such strict injunctions there have not been wanting Jewish teachers who have
openly proclaimed and preached: 'When an Israelite and a Gentile are the
parties to a suit, if it is possible to give the former the judgment according to the
Jewish code of law, do so and tell him that such is our law; if he can be given
judgment according to the gentile code of law, do so and tell the non-Jew that such
is his law. If neither code is of avail, use a subterfuge/ (ET. p, 221).

382. (for judgment, O Prophet!)

383. (making use of thy discretion). The choice whether to act or not as
an arbitrator in the suits and disputes of the Jews entirely lay with the Prophet,

384. (declining to intervene in their affairs even when requested). The
Madinese Jews, true to their traditions of mischief, sometimes submitted their
disputes to the holy Prophet for decision. T^he text refers to such occasions. The
Prophet is here empowered both to accede to their requests and to reject them.

385. (so have no fear on that account).

386. ^j^ul^ literally means 'those who judge and decide with equity/
Here the reference it to those who judge according to the Islamic code of law (Th).

V. SQfat-ul-Maida 431

*&$! ^M

43, (^a^Jy . . . i-jifti'*) Ancf now wiJI thev ask thee for judgment, 587
while they have the Tawfjlt, 3 * 8 in which is Allah's judgement? And they turn
away thereafter I 38 * They are no believers t?g alt.

SECTION 7

44. ( .jtJkXll » ■ • -U'l '' ' s We wno nave sent down the Tawrat in which
was a guidance"™ and a light. 361 By ft 898 the prophets who submitted themselves 895
judged those who were Judaised, md so did the divines and the rabbis: they
Judged by whet was committed to their keeping 3 * 1 of the Book of Allah, 38 * and
to which they were witnesses,* 11 * So fear not mankind, 3 " but fear Me," 8 and sell
not My revelations for a paltry price 3 " And he who does not "judge by what
Allah has sent down, — it is they who are the infidels.***

387. L e. t surely they do not approach thee as bona fide seekers of justice and
with any honest motives at all,

388. (their oivn Scripture which they seek to follow).

389. (from thy decision also even after they had of their own accord sought
thy decision). The Jews declined to abide by the decision of the holy Prophet
whenever it went against them.

390* (to right belief).

391. (for right conduct),

392. ». *., in accordance with its standard*

393, (to God, though themselves receiving the homage of the multitude).

394, (through the prophets),

395* i, e, t the Torah or any other Scripture of their age and time,
396. i, e., had accepted that duty gladly ; had cheerfully subjected themselves
'to the yoke of Torah,* 'Far from being considered a bondage, it was looked upon
as a privilege and a mark of favour from God, to he appreciated with love and
gratitude/ (ET. p, 158),

432 Part Vf

397. {in acting upon the precepts or the Torah, which includes belief in the
mission of the Final Prophet),

398, (as I alone have power to punish). The address is to Jewish divines
and priests. See P. I, n. 182.

399, (which you get in the form of money or honour from mankind) I e. t do
not suppress truth for fear of losing your hold upon the people. See P. I, n. 181,

400. Cf. the OT :— C U they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no tight in them/ (Is. 8: 20). 'Cursed he he that confirmed; not all the
words of this law to do them.' (Dt. 27 : 26). "

V. SQrat-ul- Ma'/da 433

>'r '

'jiXii . <J^l

^ ' ^ cA^^^i o^ c^^ e^s^i^^ ax*li ^v asT^^^-c^i

45. ( ,.«J]&J| ♦ . . U*j£.) And We enjoined for them in it: life for fife, eye
for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and injuries in reprisal. 401 And
whoso forgoes it,* 02 this* 03 shall be for him an expiation.* 04 And he who does
not judge according to what Allah has sent down,— it is they who are the wrong-
doers,

46. ( lA Sjt.4J . . . IjUaj,) And in their 405 footsteps We caused Isa", son
of Maryam, to follow, confirming what went at ore him, the TawraV" and We
gave him InjTl,* 07 in which was guidance 408 and light," 9 confirming that preceded
it, the Tawra"t, 410 and a guidance and an admonition to the God fearing.

47. / „i,maJI . . * *<sJ.l And let the people of the Injfl judge by what
Allah has sent down in it, and he who does not judge according to what AUah
lias sent down,— it is they who are the ungodly. 411

401, 'And if any mischief follow, then thoit shall give life for life, eye for
eye, tooth for looth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for
wound, stripe for stripe/ (Ex. 21 : 23-25).

402. i, f., the retaliation,

403* i. e., this relinquishment of One's duo,

404. (For his sins, and an act of merit on his part).

405. I. g, t the Israelite prophet,

406. Cf. the NT :— 'Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets : I am not come to destroy but to fulfil. For verity I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all
be fulfilled/ (Mt. 5: 17-10).

407. See P. Ill, n, 453.

408. (to right beliefs).

409. (for right conduct),

410. Cf the NT :— 'And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one
tittle of the law to fail' (Lk. 16; 17).

411. Cf \hc NT :— £ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom
of heaven/ (Mt. 5: 19).

434 Part VI

fCSg. T — — — — . ■

48. (^jAJLkwj . . , UJ^t ,) And We have sent down the Book to thee
with truth 4 " and confirming what has preceded ft of the Book, 413 and as a guar-
dian over it. 41 * So judge thou between them" 5 according to what Allah has sent
down, and do not follow their desires 419 away from what has come to thee of the
truth. To every one of you 117 We have ordained 416 a law 419 and a way,* 20 and
had Allah so willed," 1 He would have made you all a single community, 4 " but
He willed it not, 423 in order that He may try you 424 by what He has given you.***
Hasten therefore to virtues; 428 to Allah is the return of you alt; then He shall
declare to you regarding what you have been disputing, 427

49. (^s^aj . . . J J And judge thou between them 4 - 8 according to
what Allah has sent down, 429 and do not follow their desires/ 30 and be on thy
guard lest they tempt thee away from any part of what Allah has sent down to
thee/ 31 Then if they turn away/ 32 know thou that Allah wishes to afflict them
for some of their sins, 433 And. verily many of the mankind are transgressors.

50. (^jjH^ . ; , f&sxs\) Do they then seek 434 the judgment of paga-
nism? 4311 And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm
faith ? 44 «

412. i. e, f this, the latest arid final Book is true in itself.

413. i. i. s confirming the truth of the previous Revelations.

414. Or 'its protector/ That is one of the outstanding merits of the Holy
Qur J an. Not only it embodies within itself all the truths of the old Scriptures, but
it also stands to preserve them from corruption, and serves as a text whereby their
perversions, interpolations and inaccuracies can be known and corrected. And as
to the very falliable nature of the Bible, — well, it is self-confessed. The infallibility
of the Bible, says one of its best modern apologists, 'consists of no absolute immunity
from errors ♦ , . . Even the Gospels defy the harmonist in "some details, misquote at
least one passage from the OT, and misattribute another passage. The OT, in its
cosmogony and in its history, fails again and again to satisfy an exact standard of
accuracy and to consist with modern knowledge, while its statistics are not seldom

V. Stirat-ul-Maida ™1

inconsist

htprit in detail. Many of its lapses arc covered up by the kindly offices of

textual tradition and translation, though every scholar knows them familiarly.
Others have been smoothed over by the indulgent resources of an ingenious inter-
pretation. It is now a commonplace of Biblical learning that God has been at no
pains to prevent errors of history and knowledge and defects in the text and its
transmission from finding an entrance into the scared pages of His Written Word.'

(ERE VII, pp. 262-263).

415. i. a, the people of the Book, when they approach thee as contending

parties, O Prophet!

416- (in the future, as thou hast not followed in the past).
417. (O mankind 1) L e., for every people and community
4 IB. (through Our Prophets prior to the universal message of the Qur'an),

419. (of life).

420. (to eternal bliss).

421. (in conformity with His universal Plan). The will of ^ God which is
the course of His physical law, is not to be confused with the goodwill or pleosun of
God, which is the course of His moral law. 'What is' is always very distant from,
and at times quite opposed to, 'what ought to be/

422. (by forcing on you the religion of Islam ; by Leaving you no option but
to tread the path of Truth and Faith).

423. (this enforced uniformity).

424. (in each case).

425. i. *., as to who is obedient to Him by the exereise of His choice and
who is not.

426. (by the right use of your limited free-will, O mankind !).

427. (without any justification whatever).

428. I e, t the people of the Book when they come to thec as contending
parties, O Prophet I

429. i. e., the Holy Qur'an.

430. (in the future, as thou hast not followed in the past),

431. To be ever vigilant, to be constantly on one's guard against the designs
of the enemies of Islam, is in itself an act of positive merit,

. 432. (from abiding by the decision, or from willing to be judged by the
Qm-'an).

433. (now and here). The principal sin referred to here is that of flouting
the authority of the holy Prophet after seeking his intervention.

434. i. #., the Jews, who were the parties concerned occasioning the revela-
tions of the whole passage.

435. i. *., do they, with all their high-sounding talk of the Scripture
learning, stoop to be judged according to the canons of paganism ? For ^j^adl

sec P. IV, n. 264.

436. r. *„ the appreciation or so plain a truth is possible only to those who
arc men of pure faith and perfect conviction.

436

Part it

SECTION 8

51 " (j^**JtWi ' - - Wtf) ° Vou who believe! do not take the Jews and
the Nazarenes for friends; 137 friends they are to each other* 38 and if any of you
befriends them, verify then he is one of them .«• Surely Allah does not guide a
transgressing people, 44 *

52 ' (^j*^^ • - • *_>£3) So lhotl sees t those in whose hearts is a
disease 441 hasten toward them saying : 44fi we fear lest some misfortune may befall
us. 443 But maybe Allah may bring a victory* 44 or some oth er affair from Himself/"
then"* they shall find themselves regretful for what they have been keeping
secret in their minds.* 4 '

(^jj-^a- ■ ■ ■ ,Jjaj 5 ) Ar| d those who believe will say: 4411 are they
the same who affirmed by solemn oath of Allah that they were with you?"*
Their works came to naught and they found themselves losers. 440

437. (nor look up to them for help and advice). Of course there can be no
very great community of interests between believers and non-believers.

438. i, e. t the Jews and Christians have much in common, and can, and do,
readily form a combination against Islam. As the most recent instance of their
animosity against Islam, witness the Christian Britain's zealous sponsoring of
'Zionism* and 'Jewish home in Palestine/

439. i. *., he must have some point or points of identity with them.

440. (to the comprehension of this very plain truth). Wrong-doing here
consisted in the mixing with the infidels.

441. (of hypocrisy and half-hcartedness, O reader !)

442. (excusing themselves).

443. (as a reprisal for the victory at Badr). Their execuse is: we are not
really inclined towards the pagans in our hearts, but it is not wise or prudent to lose
old friends,— who knows the next move of the wheel of fortune ?— so to be on the
safe side we have to keep appearances/ %*\$ literally is *a turn of fortune*.

V. Stirat-uf-Ma'ida 437

444. (to Muslims over infidels). The allusion here is to the banishment and
extirpation of the Jews, ^U is literally 'may*be', 'may-hap*, 'perhaps* or 'belike"
but when used in reference to an act of God it signifies surety of the happening.

445. Such as detection and exposure of the hypocrites ; so called because it
was purely an act of Divine intervention, independent of any exertion on the part
of the Muslims.

446. L *.„ on the accomplishment of the two events here promised.

447. i. t, t their hypocrisy ; their friendship with the enemies of Islam.

448. (among themselves when each and every hypocrite is known and stands

self-condemned).

449. An expression of astonishment on the part of the believers at the auda*

city of the hypocrites.

450. I e, } to no profit came their friendship with the Jews; and distrusted
by the Jews and the Muslims alike, the hypocrites stood discredited altogether.

438 Pan w

*#&' ; _ &u

/• f

54 (^Xi . . . I^jIj) you who believe I 4 " whoever of you apostates
from his religion, then Allah shall soon bring a people 462 whom He shall love and
who shall love Him," 3 gentle towards the believers, stem towards the infidels,
striving hard in the way of Allah, and unheeding the reproof of any reprover.*"
This" 6 is the grace of Allah; He bestows it on whomso He will. And Allah is
Bountiful, 4 ** Knowing, 4 "

55, (iiJ^'5 • ■ * U*J) Your friend*" is but Allah and His messenger

and those who have believed— those who establish the prayer*" and pay the
poor-rate, 4 " while they bow down. 461

56, (uj J***^ * ♦ ■ tan) And whoever befriends Allah and His messen-
ger and those who have believed, then the party of Allah! it is they who will

be triumphant 462

SECTION 9

57 - (^aM" • • ■ Wrf) ° Vow who believe! do not take as friends
those who make a mockery and fun of your religion from among those who have
been given the Book before you and other infidels, 4 ** And fear Allah, 4 * 4 if you
are believers.

58, (^y^ . • . \6\ ,j^ And when you call for the prayer 406 they 4 " make
a mockery and fun of it" 7 This" 8 because they ere a people who have no
understanding, 4 "

451. The address is to them who were Muslims at the time this passage was
revealed.

452. (to replace Him).

453. Love of God is, in Islam, the standing motive of all moral and
religious life.

454. (in the matter of faith, unlike the hypocrites who were always afraid
of the pagans).

455. (strength of conviction and sincerity of purpose^

V. Surarat-uf- Mr/da 439

456. i. e., able to endow everyone with excellent attributes,

457. j\ #„ who bestows His grace only on those who are, in His knowledge,
fitted to receive it.

458. L e„ one to whom you should look up for help, comfort and guidance.

459. Symbolic of all bodily devotions.

460. Symbolic of alt monetary obligations.

461. (and arc meek in spirit). This sums up the chief characteristics of a
Muslim. He holds right and sincere belief; he is steadfast in his prayers and other
devotions ; he is regular in the payment of the poor-rate and other obligations ; and
he is meek ill spirit.

462. i. e,, they shall triumph in the end,

463. The rejection of the true Faith is the common ground between the
scoffing people of the Book and the pagans.

464. *'. *.j be on your guard against mixing freely with the rejecters of the
faith after this prohibition,

465. The formula of the public call to prayer 4 Ji$\ runs thus :--
God is Most Great, (repealed four times).

I testify that there is no god but God, (repeated twice)

I testify that Muhammad is the apostle of God, (repeated twice).

Gome to the prayer, (repeated twice).

Com a to the bliss, (repeated twice).

Prayer is better than sleep, (repeated twice but added only m the
morning prayer).

God is Most Great, (repeated twice). There is no god but God.

This call (or ozitn) the crier (muezzin) repeats five times a day at
appointed hours standing on some platform or tower in a mosque
with his face to word Ka'ba. The crier (muezzin) must not be one
unclean or drunk and the recital must be listened to with respect.

466. j. e., the scoffers, whether they be from the pagans or from the people
of the Book.

467. Now, is there anything in the formula quoted above to laugh at or to
make fun of? Here is what an English writer has to say, "The beauty of the
Mohammadan Gall to prayer", writes Hadland Davis in the Blue Peter "is unfor-
gettable. Five times, within twenty-four hours, wherever Islam holds sway that
sacred summons is sounded with sonorous, far-reaching voice. It comes, not From
the gateway of a mosque, nor from a house-top, nor from the market-place, but from
a lovely minaret that looks like a white, long-stemmed flower rising clear, strong and
comely above the traffic of men, Whether it is heard at dawn or sunset, or when the
purple bright sky is ablaze with stars, that call moves the infidel as well as the
devotee . . . Someone lias happily said that "the Moslem Call is eternally beginning
and never terminating/' a prayer "that may indeed be suspended yet never finished

440 Part VI

an adoration that may pause but never end".

468. (misplaced and blasphemous hilarity).

469, (a thing so simple and so evident). Thus describes an English Muslim
lady the effects of this wonderful call to prayer;— * As the beautiful cadences are
elaborated to rise and fall as the Muezzin moves round the minaret to call the four
corners of the world beneath, I wonder, how anyone can listen to that call unmoved,
Surely does the Koranic Arabic hold a spell — even as the reading of the Sacred
Book thrills its hearers/ (Lady Cobbold, op. cit., p. 9).

441
V, Surat-ui-Ma'ida T!_

Mil" - ||

59 f &J . . * l») Say thou: 170 people of the Book J what is that
for which you persecute us save that we believe in Allah and in what has been
sent down to us and what has been sent down before? And most of you are
ungodly. 47 '

60. ( u*,*Ji ; . . jA $&Y thou;. 1 ™ O people of the Book /shall I dec-
lare to you something worse as a way with Allah than that?" 3 it is they whom
A! fah has accursed and with whom He is angered and whom some He has
changed into apes and swine 47 * and worshippers of false gods 4 ' 6 — those are
worse in abode 474 and furthest astray from the level way. 477

61. (^fcG . * ♦ ijHjj And wh * n thev * 78 come to v° u * 7 * they say : we

believe; yet infidels they came" and infidels they departed. And Allah is
Knower of what they have been concealing,

62. (m>JU*j . . . jJ*) And thou wilt see many of them" 1 hastening to-
wards sin and wickedness 184 and devouring of the unlawful. 4 " Vile indeed is
what they have been doing I

63. ( .jjo^j , , . Hj) Why then do their divines and priests forbid not
them * a4 from blasphemy and from devouring of the unlawful?"* Vite indeed is
what they have been performing I

470. (on behalf of the Muslims, O Prophet!).

471. (rejecting your own Scripture as well as ours).

472. (O Prophet!),.

473. (way of ours which you still reject and denounce).

474. The transformation may not have been necessarily physical. It may
have been only mental, as suggested by Raghib and others.

475. ^ and at** both are the plurals of j^j: , the distention being that
the former is used of the polytheists uyjilkJ! 8.i+* *a> while the latter is used of the
Muslims *JUloUe f«> ( L L),

476. i* *., the final abode which shall be Hell.

477. (even in this world).

442 Part VI

478. *", e., the hypocrite Jews.

479. j. #., the Muslims.

480. (to your company),

481. i, t.j of the Jews, O Prophet!

482. Compare the denunciation in their own Scriptures,. Their feet run to
evil, and make haste to shed blood.* fpr. 1 : 16). 'Your iniquities have separated
between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you m - . . Your
hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers wiih iniquity: your lips have spoken
lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any
pleadeth for truth : they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and
bring forth iniquity .... Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed inno-
cent blood j their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity ; wasting and destruction are in
their paths/ (Is, 59 ; 2-7),

483. compare the OT:— They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem
with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach
for hire/ (Mi, 3 ; 10- 1 1). 'Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thievts:
every one lovcth gifts, and fotloweth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless,
neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 1 (Is. ] ; 23), 'Yea, they are
greedy dogs which can never have enough.-' (Is, 56: 11).

484. f. €. y the Jewish masses. As with the people so it was with the priests.

485. Compare the OT : — 'From the least of them even unto the greatest of
them every one is given to con veto usn ess,*

V. SUrat-uf MS'f'da ff&

~ _ '-Mb

»*MUI

64. (^.wJi '. « . u*?l£*) And the Jews say ' IM the hand of A,lah fe
fettered. 48 ' Fettered be their own hands, 488 and cursed be they for what they

have uttered!* 86 Aye I His both hands are wide open; 4 * He expends howsoever

He will.*** And surety what has been sent down to thee* Ba from thy Lord

increases many" 5 of them in exorbitance and infidiltty. And We have cast

among them*" enmity and spite till the Day of Judgment; whenever they kindle

the fire of war,* 94 Allah puts is out**" and they strive* 87 after corruption in the

land;*' 8 and Allah approves not the corrupters.

65. L^] --•?'>) And had the P e °P ,e of the Book ke 1ieved "* and
feared/ 00 We would surely have expiated from them their misdeeds and would
surely have admitted them in the Garden of Delight.

66. ( -u*d • ■ - 1 5 *) And had they estabHshed the Tawrat * 01 and tne

InjlF 1 and what has now been sent down to them from their Lord,*** they would

have received abundance 6 " from above and from beneath, 6 " 5 Among them is 8
community right-doing; 611 * but many of them— vile is what they do I

486. (who were at the time impoverished by a dearth sent upon them as a
judgment for their rejecting the holy Prophet)*

487. ». *., He has become niggardly and close-fisted.

488. *. €„, "niggardly are they themselves.

489. i. e, t for uttering a thing so blasphemous.

490. (as ever) i, e. t He, the Mighty One, is as generous as ever.
49 L (according to His infinite Wisdom and universal Plan).

492. (O Prophet I).

493. (but not all). Some of the Jews did eventually embrace Islam.

494. The pronoun refers to the people of the Book in general, and not to
the Jews alone, as is evident from the next verse.

495. (against the Muslims).

496. (either by raising feuds and quarrels among themselves, or by granting

victory to the Muslims).

,«?

444 Pan W

497. (when baulked in their attempts to kindle the fire of war openly).

498. (secretly and stealthily, by making all sorts of attack, often very
cunningly veiled, on the faith of Islam).

499. (in all the tenets of the faithj.

500. (God, and refrained from vice and sin, as commanded in the code of

Islamic law).

501. i. e., the original Taurat, and not the so-called OT.
502* i. e. t the original lnjil, and not the so-called NT.

503. i. €., the Holy Qur'an.

504. (of good things).

505. if e. } 'their means of subsistence should be made ample" ; by the forcing
of the blessings of the heaven and the earth upon them.* (LL)

506. (as they ultimately became converts to Islam),

V. SQret'Ul-Maida 4AS

itfj.'-

•&4&

i ^c$aw#4t8>$a j

SECTION 10

67. ( .yj^Jl • . . VU) messenger! 607 preach thou whatever has been
sent down to thee from thy Lord; 408 and if thou dost it not then thou hast not
preached His message, 90 " Allah shall protect thou from men.* 10 Allah does
not guide a disbelfving people, 611

68. ( , rJ j^}\ , . . p) Say thou: people of the Book ! you rest not
on aught unless you establish* 1 * the Tawrst and tn]Il and what has now been
sent down to you from your Lord. 513 And what has been sent down to thee will
surely increase many of them in exorbitance and infidelity; so mourn thou not
over a disbelieving people.

69- (.iy'i«u • • ■ tJ\ Surely those who believe and those who are
Judaised and the Sabians and the Nazarence— any of who believes in Allah and
the Last Day and works rightously no fear shaft come on them, nor shall they
grieve, 614

507. This From of address emphasizes the fact that Muhammad (on him be
peace 1) was essentially a missionary Prophet whose foremost sacred duty was to
preach and to proclaim,

508. (without any fear whatsoever). *The missionary spirit of Islam is no
after-thought in its history ; it interpenetrates the religion from its very commence-
ment. * (Arnold, Preaching of Tshan, p. 11).

509. (at all). To deliver that Great Message incompletely or only in
parts is not to deliver it at all.

510. 'More than once his life was in danger, but a higher power protected
God's envoy ; the sword fell from a hostile leader who waved it above his head.'
{HHW, VIII, p, 123).

511. 'to reach thee with intent to slay thee/ (Th). On his receiving this
assurance of the Divine protection, the holy Prophet dismissed the men who had
volunteered to act as his guard.

446 Part VI

512. i. c, act up to,

513. i, e, t the Holy Qur'&n.

514. (hi the Hereafter). See P, I, nn. 280, fF. 'It was on the banks of the
lower Euphrates that the Sabians or Christians of St, John the Baptist had settled,
whom the Arabs called MugKtasila, Ablutio rusts', because they were always washing
in the river J not only were they still living there in the lime of Muhammad, but
they are there to this day, under the name of Sabian*, (Huart, Ancient Persia and
Iranian Civilization, p. 179).

V. SUratot-Maida 447

f&fcJi'

■&Uy

70- , jslj * • • dJU) Assuredly did We take a bond from the Children
of Israel 819 and We sent messengers to them. Whenever there came to them
a messenger with whet tbefr souls did not like,"* a party of them they belied and
a party they put to death,"'

71. („«I**j • • ■ 1,j i-^ t ) And the y imagined thet no harm would come
to them;" 6 so they blinded and deafened themsefves. a * Thereafter 520 Allah
relented towards them," 1 then they again blinded and deafened themselves.***
And Allah is Beholder of what they work."*

72. (jLai! . . . jju) Assuredly they have disbelieved who say:"* MasTh
son of Maryam is the very God; whereas the Masih" 5 had said: O Children of
Israel: worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord:"" he who joins wpht with
Allah," 7 Allah shall surely forbid the Garden to him, and his resort is the Fire;
and the ungodly shall have no helpers,

73. (m'I ■ - • **') Assuredly those have disbelieved who say: 'God is
the third of the three, 5 " whereas there fs no god except the One God."* And
if they do not desist from what they say, 630 there shall surely befall those of them
who have dJsbelived a torment afflictive.

515. (that they would obey all Our messengers),

516. i. *., with a message that was not to their liking.

517. Compare the NT r— 'Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and
wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify ; and some of
them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city,
(Mt, 23 : 34).

518. i. * t , no punishment for their offence. Compare the OT:— 'They slay
the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord
shall not see/ (Ps, 94 : 6, 7).

519. i. *., they shut their eyes and ears against all argument and remons-
trance,

520. if."*., after some time.

448 Part Vt

521 , (and out of His mercy sent another apostle),

522, This attitude of blind denial and defiance the Jews maintained up to
the time of the holy Prophet,

523, Compare the OT :— *Hc that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He
that formed the eye, shall he not see/ (Ps. 94 : 9).

524, (and believe). To the orthodox Christian 'Jesus is without qualifica-
tion God, and the greater the contradiction to the rmnd, the more the heart
responds to the wonder of the mystery/ (HJ. Oct. 1934, p. 6). See nn. 260, 261
above.

525, ( himself).

526, 'Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve/ (Mt. 4: 10: Lk, 4: 8). *And Jesus said unto him, why caltest thou me
good? none is good save one, that is, God/ (Lie. 18: 19). 'Jesus never refers to
Himself as the "Son of God", and the title when bestowed upon Him by others
probably involves no more than the acknowledgement that He was the Messiah/
(EBr. XIII, p, 23). 'That the trimtarian baptismal formula does not go back to

Jesus himself is evident and recognized by all independent critics ' (EBi.'c. 4689),
*A critical study of the synoptic material leads inevitably to the conclusion that
Jesus nev<-r called himself the "son of God" and never was addressed by that title/
(EBi. c. 4701). See also P. Ill, nn. 453,

527, {cither in His Person or His Attributes; as the Christians do). That
the Christians arc proud of their Chrisiolalry is a a fact self-evident. It is noted in
their Imoks with self-adulation that the Church in the course of its long history
has never ceased to offer prayer to Christ with the Father/ (ERE, I, p. 104}.

528, 'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy : and these three are one/ (I Jn. 5 : 7). The Athanasian
Creed runs :— 'There is one person of the Father, another of the Son and another
of the Holy Ghost ; the Father is God and Lord ; the Son is God and Lord ; and
the Holy Ghost is God and Lord/ 'These words of the Greed/ says Swedenborg,
'make it as clear as water in a crystal cup, that there are three persons, each of
whom is God and Lord/ (The True Christian Religion, p. 224). Thin central
doctrine of the Christian religion can only mean that God 'is three really distinct

Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost Three persons are co-equal,

co-eternal, and consubstantial, and deserve co-equal glory and adoration/ {CD.
p. 973), 'The dogma of the "Trinity", which still comprises three of the chief
articles of faith in the creed of Christian peoples, culminates in the notion that the
one God of Christianity is really made up of three different persons : (!) God the
Father;. , , {2) Jesus Christ ; and (3) Holy Ghost, a mystical being, over whose
incomprehensible relation to the Father and the Son millions of Christian theolo-
gians have racked their brains in vain for the last 1900 years/ (Haeckel, op. eit,

529, (with no divisibility of Person), And thus the Christians are as much
steeped in polytheism as are the pagans. The Christians 'acknowledged one God
indeed with the lips, but in three persons, each of whom simply or by himself was
God/ (Swedenborg, op, cit t p. 817).

530. I. e tJ from ascribing 'trinity* to God.

V. SUrat~u/-M3'ida 449

74. (*££>.) « . . JUi) Why do they" 1 not turn towards Allah and ask
His forgiveness? 512 And Allah is Forgiving, 5 ' 3 Merciful. 584

75. ( , } *0.j . . . y**MMJl U) The Masjh, 53 * son of Maryam, was naught
but a messenger, 639 surefy there passed away messengers before him, 637 and his
mother was a saintly woman; 638 they both iSS ate earthly food, 540 See how We
explain to them Our evidences. 511 Then see whither they are deviating I" 2

76. (* 4 LJt , . . A}) Say thou, do you worship, 3 * 9 beside Allah, what
does not avail you in harm or good, 5 " whereas it is Allah who is the Hearing,"*
the Knowing. M *

77. ( U**«J1 ••■ li) Say thou, O people of the Book! 5 * 7 do not exceed
the fust hounds in your religion, 548 except with truth, and do not follow the
fancies of a people who strayed before and have led many astray'and have strayed
from the level way. 5 "

531. t. e., the so-called Christians; the trinitarians.

532. (after the hollowness of their beliefs has been so thoroughly exposed
and made manifest to them}.

533. (to those who implore His forgiveness).

534. (to those who turn to Him).

535. (himself a mortal and born of a frail mortal woman).

536. (and neither God, nor His Son, nor His Incarnation). See nn. 39, 95
above. Some of the most ancient Christians were not slow to perceive the humanity
of Christ, as contradistinguished from his divinity. One class of the Ebionites regard-
ed him 'as an ordinary man though superior to other men/ (ERE, I, p. 103). Paul
of Samosata held that 'Christ was a human person, who possessed the Logos as an
attribute , , . . Finally he became God ; i e., he was united to God in the only way
m which unity between persons is possible, by absolute harmony of will . * . , His
miracles manifested the harmony of his will with the will of God." (ERE, XI,
p. 171), And Justin has remarked. 'There are of our number some who admit that
he is Christ, but declare that he was a man born of man/ (EBi. c. 2963), Similarly

450 Part VI

the Inquiries of the most modern of the Christian inquirers are once again approximat-
ing the Islamic view. 'The picture of Jesus'" as Loisy sees him, *is purely human * , .
Jesus did not offer himself to his contemporaries as a sage or a moralist, or as a
prophet pure and simple, but 'as one sent from God who claims, in relation to the
kingdom, the position of Grand Ambassador/ (HJ, Oct* 1934, p. 30), On purely
historical grounds all that can be affirmed of Jesus Christ is that he was a man in a certain
environment. The Christ of the Gospels is the product of faith.' (HJ, April, 1935, p. 374),

537. (now surely no apostle however great and eminent and however
superior to his fellow-beings can, In any sense, be God or part of God, or one of
the 'Triad'). 'The familiar companions of Jesus of Nazareth conversed with their
friend and countryman, who, in all the actions of rational and animal life, appeared
of the same species with themselves. His progress from infancy to youth and
manhood was marked by a regular increase in stature and wisdom./ (GRE.V
p. 97).

538 'This refutes the outrageous calumny of the Jews who held her guilty
of misconduct and reinstates her in her pure, saintly character. See P. Ill,
n. 403 ff. For the meaning of ~j ^ see P. XVI, n. 151, 'The feminine as used
in the Koran means superlative in j ^^j\ and jj*i«aXJl/ (LL).

"9- — mere mortals and mere human beings as they were —

540. (and needed it), i .*., obliged to support their lives by the same means,
and subject to the same necessities and infirmities as the rest of mankind, they could
be no gods or god lings,

541. (to expose the hollowness of the so-called Christians' position). That
the Holy Qur'an did, to some extent, exert modifying influence on certain
Chrhian sects is now an admitted truth. 'The opposition of Islam also partly
determined the form of men's views on the doctrine of Christ's person' {EBr. I,
p. 177).

542. (from the truth ; and how they cling to error and falsehood !),

543. (O Christians!)

544. Christianity gradually 'assumed a form that was quite as polytheistic
and quite as idolatrous as the ancient paganism.' (Lecky. op. cit, II, p. 97). 'The
polytheist peoples of the world with a variety of gods and goddesses, which enter into
its machinery more or less independently .... It reaches its highest stage in Hellenic
polytheism .... At a much lower stage we have Catholic polytheism, in which
innumerable "saints" (many of them of very equivocal repute) are venerated as
subordinate divinities, and prayed to exert thir mediation with the supreme divinity/
(Haeckel, op, tit., p. 236).

545. t. *., Cognizant of all that you say.

546. *. c. } Cognizant of all that you have in your heart.

547. The address is mainly to the Christians.

548. (by attributing Godhead to Jeasus and divinity to Mary) L *., be loyal

V, SUrBt'uf-Ma'fda ^ 1

to your own Faith as vouchsafed by God, and do not make any man-made creed
the test of your discipleship. It is a standing marvel indeed that the 'Christian
religion 1 as it is called, contains so very few doctrines taught by Jesus himself, but
is almost entirely made up of doctrines about him propagated by others. See n, 93

above,

549. Now who exactly are these erring peoples— the prototype of the
Christian error ? The allusion may well be to the 'highly cultured* yet polytheistic
and idolatrous nations of Greece and Rome— many of whose superstitions and
blasphemies the early church, inspired by Paul of Tarsus, was only too prone to
imbibe. St* Paul, the rounder of the later-day Christianity, 'owed much to the
Greek philosophy and thought, gained partly in formal education at Tarsus, partly
by assimilation of the knowledge which floated on the surface of a more or less
educated society and became insensibly the property of ail its members/ (DB. V,
p. 150). The Roman church owes something of the elaboration of its ceremonial,
and its care for the litde things of life, to the old Roman religion, and the many
local and functional saints of present-day Italy are in effect the successors of the
ancient spirits/ (UHW. III, p. 1753). 'And the later-day Greek also through the
popularity of the cult of Asklepios 'was becoming habituated to the concept of Man
God, who suffered, and was glorified after death/ (EMK, Up. 1414) Greece 'supplied
the philosophy of the Christian religion, which, after Plotnus and Prophyry,
had a more vigorous life within the Christian church than in the schools of Athens/
(UHW, IV, p. 2083). 'The contact of the Church with the Hellenic world led very
early to the attempt to interpret the mysteries of the Christian faith in the teims of
Greek philosophy. There are traces of this even in the epistles of St. Paul The
process, however, so Tar as the books of the New Testament are concerned, is most
conspicuous in the fourth Gospel The writer of this life of Chirts, whoever he may
have been, was clearly influenced by Platonism/ (UHW. IV. p. 2330),

452 Port Vf

SECTION 11

78. { ^&£*j . . , .jj) Cursed were those who disbelieved from among
the Children of Israel 650 by the tongue of Daud" 1 and 'lsa\ son of Maryam." 2
This, because they disobeyed and were ever transgressing." 3

79. ( .ikJUij - ♦ • \*>\s) They were wont not to desist from the evil they
committed." 1 Vile Is what they have been doing I

80. ( j.isjki. . , . ^vj) Thou wilt see many of them 8 " befriending those
who disbelieve. 5 " Vile surely is what their souls have sent forth for them," 7 so
that Allah became incensed against them; and" 8 in torment they shall abide,

81 ' (uh**** ■ ■ • jJj) And had they"* believed in Allah and the Pro-
phet 560 and what has been sent down to him," 1 they would not have taken them" 2
for friends;" 3 but many of them are transgressors. 6 "

82, (^-^jjcx^j . . « ^jp.mxj ) Surely thou wilt find the Jews" 5 and
polytheists" 8 the bitterest of mankind In enmity towards those who believe." 7
And surely thou wilt find the nearest in affection to the believer" 6 those who
say:" 9 we are Nazarenes. 670 This," 1 because among them" 2 are priests*"* and
monks* 74 and because they are not stiffnecked." 5

550. *. e, t those who rejected the faith propounded by the prophets of their
time:. such as those who violated the Sabbath in the reign of David, or those who
rejected the ministry of Jesus,

551. *And anger also came up against Israel, because they believed not in
God, and trusted not in his salvation/ (Ps, 78: 21, 22).

552. 'Fill ye up then the measure of your father. Ve serpents, ye genera-
tion of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell V (Mt. 23 : 32, 33).

553. The Jewish history, as recorded in the Bible, is full of Israel's sins and
delinquencies. Let one passage, only by way of instance, suffice : —

'They would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their
father, that did not believe in the Lord their God. And they rejected his statutes,

V. SDrat-ul-MB'/da 453

and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he
testified against them, and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after

the heathen that were round about them And they left all the commandments

of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made
a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Ba'al/ (2 Ki, 17 :

14-16), See P. I, mi. 271, 272.

554. i, ffl, far from repenting and feeling sorry, they persisted in their acts

of infidelity and impiety.

555. i. e., the Jews, O Prophet 1

556. (and are idolaters) The Jews formed pacts with the pagans for the

destruction of Islam.

557. t. e, t their acta of treachery and perfidy against Islam, and their

alliance with the pagans.

558. (as the inevitable sequel).

559. i. e. t the Jews.

560. i. e. t their own prophet, Moses, (Th).
561 ♦ *.*., Torah, (Th),

562. i, e., the pagan enemies of Islam.

563. (and have made common causes with them for the extirpation of
Islam). The Madinese Jews 'showed themselves more and more hostile to the
new religion. They found a protector in Abdullah ben Obayyah, the chief of the
Khazraj, who, jealous of Mohammed's growing power amongst his followers, toiled
against the Prophet/ (HHW. VIII, p. 123).

564. (and no true believers in their own faith, and so their behaviour is not

unnatural),

565. (O Prophet) 1 Compare an observation of Hitler :— *It is impossible to

exaggerate the formidable quality of the Jew as an enemy/

566. (those who associate aught with God) I, e,, the idolaters.

567. Witness the perfidious and treacherous conduct of the Madinese Jewi
and the uniformly hostile attitude of the Makkan pagans towards the Prophet.

568. Note the word 'Nazarcnes/ Nazarenes not Christians, Note further
that the friendship of even these for the Muslims is only relative, not absolute.
Only as compared with the inveterate hostility of the idolaters and the Jews their
attitude is rather friendly.

569. Note the words 'who say/ The import is that they avow their faith
and are not ashamed of calling themselves believers in Christ. And they were not
trinitarians. To some early Christians 'the doctrine of the Trinity appeared incon-
sistent with the unity of God which is emphasized in the Scriptures. They therefore
denied it, and accepted Jesus Christ, not as incarnate God but as God's highest
creature by Whom all else was created, or as the perfect man who taught the true
doctrine of God/ (EBr. V, p. 634). Some of the Ebionites, for instance, while

454 Part Vf

they accepted Christ, only accepted him as a revived Moses/ (ERE. V, p. 139).
It is only these monotheistic Christians who are commended in the Qur'an, The
verse has no bearing whatever on the attitude to Islam of the modern, materialistic
European States, priding on their secularism and religious neutrality.

570. Even according to the orthodox Christianity 'we have to consider
Muslims as very near to ourselves in point of theology." (Macdonaid, Aspects of
Islam, p. 2). But really the reference in the Qur*an is to certain Ebionite sects,
'Epiphanius describes the notions of the Ebionitcs of Nabathaean, Moabitis, and
Balanitis with regard to Adam and Jesus, almost in the very words of Sura III, 52,
He tells us that they observed circumcision, were opposed to celibacy, forbade
turning to the sunrise, but enjoined Jerusalem as their Kebla, .... that they
prescribed washings, very similar to those enjoined in the Koran , , , ' (Rodwell,
The Koran, Preface, p. XVI II). It must have been the points of contract, like these,
with Islam that have won the approval of the Holy Qur'an,

571. i. e,, their comparative proximity to Islam and the Muslims.

572. f. e., the Christian community of the Prophet's time.

573. i. e,, custodians of religion ; those well versed in religious learning.

574. i„ e., esoteric heads of religion, 'There were Christian monks as
early as the 3rd century , . . . The monks and nuns were looked upon as the most
consistent Christians, and were honoured accordingly/ (EBr. V, p. 676).

575. (and being meek and humble they do not disdain to listen to the voice
of Truth), The description fits the 'heretics of the early centuries — the Ebionites ,
and Naz arc lies— -rather than the later-day orthodox Churchmen.

IN DEX

[ S— Sura.K: pipage; nn.™notos ; Roman numerals stand for the

number of surah and Arabic numerals denote the number of the verse )

Aaron, ii. 248

Abbreviated letters, ii- I ; n. 28

Ablutions, iv, 43; n. 12i; v, 6; rin, 198-

200
Abraham :

Allah's friend, iv. 125; n. 235

and Ka'ba, ii. 125; n. 563; ii. 126;

n. 573-576 ; ii. 127, n. 577

a prophet, iii. 84; iv, 164

argues with Nimrod — see Nitnrod

favours on, iv. 54; n. 187

fulfilled God's Commands, ii* 124;
nn. 556, 559

not Jew or Christian, iii. 67 ; nn, 523,
24 ; iii. 68

not pagan, iii. 95 ; n, 16

on life to the dead, ii. 260 ; nil. 74-79

prays for a Messenger, ii. 129; nn.
589-590; ii. 130; 596

region of, ii. 130; 135; nn. 618-19;
ii." 132 ; nn, 600-602

station of, iii, 96

the chosen one, iii. 33 ; n. 356

the upright, it. 135; n. 618

true faith of, iii. 66-68 ; iv, 125

also see Bakka (Macca)
Adam :

creation of, it. 30; nn. 133-34; ii.
31; n. 139; ii. 32-34; n. 150 ; iii.
59 ; n, 489

fall of, ii. 35, ii. 36; n. 157; ii. 37-39

repentance of, ii* 37

the chosen one, iii, 33

two sons (Abel and Cain), v. 27-31
Adjurations, oaths and, in Qur'an, ii.

224-25 ; n. 487-494
Alif-Lam-Mlm, ii, I ; n. 28
Al-i-'Imtan, S. iii. n. 206
AHm (fjU), "- 29; n. 130; ii. 32;

n. 145
Allah :

dye of, ii. 138 ; n. 138 Sec also Gcd

meaning, i. 1 ; n. 7
Angels :

Gabriel and Michael, ii. 97; n, 421 ;
ii. 98

nature of, ii. 30 ; n. 132

not to be taken for the Lord, iii. 80 ;
n. 586

of Allah, ii. 30 ff, 177, 210, 248, 285
An Ideal Prayer, ii. 201 ; nn. 341-42
Apes, tiansgressors become as, ii. 65;

n. 292
Apostles, see Prophet,
Arafat, ii, 198 ; n, 328
Ark, the, ii. 248 ; nn, 652. 655-56
Ay at, abrogation of, ii. 106 ; n. 477

meaning, ii, 106; h, 476
Aziz, an attribute of God, iii. 4; n. 219
A z wjaj -i- Mu t ahhara h — in Qixra nic

sense, ii. 25 ; n. 108

Babil (Babylonia), ii. 102; n. 449
Bidr, (battle), iii. 12-13; nn. 256, 259;
iii. 123; nn. 142-44; iii. 140; n. 201
Bakka ( Mecca), ii. 125 ; n, 563 ; ii. 144;

n. 31: iii. 96; nn. 17-19
Bani Ur a '71, see Israel, Children of.
Baqara, S. ii, n. 25; 295
Belief— meaning, ii. 3 ; n. 34
Believers:

enjoin right and forbid wrong, iii,

104; n. 59; iii. M0;n. 77
rear God, iii, 102 ; nn. 47-48
hold together, iii. 103 ; nn. 50-55, 57
if weak and oppressed, iv. 97; iv 100;

n. 430
not to sit where God's signs are
ridiculed, iv. 140, n. 47, iv. 92-93
n. 389
not to slight those who salute, iv. 94 ;

n. 413
protected from harm, iii, 1 1 1 ; n. 83
their lives inviolable & sacred, iv. 29 ;

n. 47; iv. 92-93; n, 389
those who strive and fight, iv. 95;

n. 419
to prefer believers for fiicnds, iv. 144
warned against unbelievers, iii. 118-

20 ;n. 111-14
way of (believers), iv. 315; n. 505,
507

456

INDEX

B quest, ii. 180; n, 193; it. 240; nn.

610-11
Hook j (Revelation) j

confirming earlier scriptures, iii. 3 ;
tin. 214-15

foundation of the, iii. 7 ; n. 232

is sure guidance, ii, 2 ; n. 30

people of the, ill. 64 ; nn. 511-13, !6 ;
iii. 65, n. 518; iv, 47, 153, J61

people of the book — Jews & Chris-
tians, ii. 305; n, 270

(Our'an), light and guidance,
ii. 2, ii; 31

{Qur'an), verges fundamental and
allegorical, iii. 7; nn. 231-33

to be studied, ii. 121 ; nn. 551-52

also see Qur'an
Burden,

no soul has burdens greater than it
can bear, ii, 286; nn. 202-3

Cain and Abel, v, 27 ff

Caleb and Joshua, v. 23 ; nn. 296 97,

301
Calumny, iv, 112; n. 493 ;iv. 148; n. I
Charity, ii. 110, 177; n, 169; ii. 262-

64; nn. 93-96; ii, 267; ti, 271; n,

124; ii. 272; n. 129; ii. 273-74

act of, to be concealed, ii, 271 ; nn.
123-24

objects of, ii. 273
Children, suckling of, ii. 233 ; n. 253
Christ ; see Jesus

Christian angelolatry, iii. W ; n, 596
Christian creed and sects, v, 17; n, 261,

265; v. 18; n. 268-69; v. 69; n. 514;

v. 73 ; n. 526-28
Christian conception of curse, ii, 159;

n. 100
Christians, ii. 62 ; n. 275 ; ii, til; n.

498 ; ii. 1 13 ; n. 504 ; ii. 120 ; n. 550 ;

ii. 138-140; n. 642 ; v, 14; n. 247
Cleanliness, iv, 43 ; also see Ablutions
Compacts (tWAjj), v. 1 ; n. 135
Contraception, ii, 187; n, 242
Conviction, ii. 4 ; n. 41
Courtesy, iv. 86 ; nn, 352-53
Covenant, ii. 40; nn. 175-76
Cove tousn ess, iii. 180; n. 393 : iv. 32
Cow (the yellow), ii, 67 flf
Cowardice, iii, 122; nn. 137-40
Creation, of mar;, iv. I ; n. 476
Creation, God's Command, ii. 117;

nn. 527-531 ; iii. 47 ; nn. 429-30
Criterion, ii. 53 ; n. 222 ; iii. 4 ; n. 217
Curse, Allah's curse, ii. 89 ; n. 389

Date-palms, ii. 266; rii J05-A

David, also see Ja.hu
a prophet, v. 70
fights Goliath, Ii. 251,
receives inspiration, iv. 163

Death ;

by God's leave, iii. 145; nn. 217-18
tivrry soul to taste, iii. 185; r>, 413
iuevtiable, iii. 185; nn. 412-13; iv.

78 ; nn. 299-300
revival after, ii, 259 ; n. 59 ; ii, 260 ;
nti. 77, 79

Desire {jL..&) meaning, iii, 14; n. 267

Dinar, iii. 75 ; n. 559

Disease in the hearts, it. 10; nn. 53-54,
also see hypocrites.

Distribution of Charity, ii. 177; nn.
170-71

Divining arrows (-!?;!) , v. 3 ; n. 165

Divorce, meaning, ii. 227 ; n, 499
ii. 2L>8; nn. 502^; ii. 229 ;nn. 519-21
ii. 230; nn. 527, 534; ii, 231-32
n. 545 ; ii. 236 ; nn. 587-90 ; ii. 237
nn. 597-603; ii- 241, n. 617; t'to.
it. 226; n, 494-96

Dower, ii. 229. tm. 522, 525 ; ii. 236-37
iv. 4 ; nn, 5U6-7 ; iv. 19 ; nn, 604-609
iv. 21 ; nn. 618-19, 622; iv, 24 ; n. 9
iv. 25; nn. 15-16, 18, 29, 24

East & West, faces to, ii. 115; nn.

516 17;iL 142, 177, n. 166
Emigration, iv. 97 ; n. 424, 430
Evidence, re. transactions, ii, 282-83 ;

n. 180-84
Evil, comes from ourselves, iv. 79;

n. 311
Evil Spirit, rejected, accursed, iii. 36;

alio su Satan
Excess, forbidden in religion, iv. 171,

n-93
Ezra, ii. 259 ; n-56

Face, of God, ii. 1 12 ; n. 501 ; ii. 272
Faith:

r* jectnrs of, ii. 6-7 ; nn-47, 48 ;

ii. 165; n. 115; iii. ' 4'J 10,12,21-22,90;

n.622; 91; n. 625; 116; n, 1 02; 181; n.

INDEX

457

396; 184;n.4l0;iv. 136, 137, 167; n.

80; 168, n, 83

Sellers of, iii, 77, 177; nn-380, 81

Signs of, iL ]65

Strengthened in danger and disaster,

Hi. 173; n. 369
False testimony, iv. 135; n. 594
Fasiq (jjj), meaning, it 26; n. J 15
Fasting, ii. 183; mi, 205, 206, 207; it. 18*,

n. 208, 209; ii. 185; nn.223-24; ii. 187
Fatiha, S. i
Fear of God:

as He should be feared, iii. 102; n. 47

commanded to people, iv. 131 ;

nn. 570-71
Fear of men, iv, 77 ; iii. 1 75 ; n, 378
Fear no evil, iii. 175.
Fear as motive for reclamation, ii, 74;

nn.317-18
Fear E

for Believers, if. 62 ; n. 280

Tor those who submit to God, ii. 1 12 ;

who believe and do good, ii. 277

who spend for God, ii. 262, 274

none for the Righteous, ii. 38; ri» 170
Fighting:

by Children of Israel, ii. 246-51

in cause of God and oppressed men
and women, iv, 75; n. 272

in prohibited months, i i.21 7; nn. 4 19-20

in the way of Allah, ii, 190; n, 267 ;
ii. 192; ru 277 ; iv, 74; n.267 ; iv- 84

prescribed, ii, 216; nn-412-13
Fir awn, see Pharoah
Fire, parable, ii. 17 ; n.69; ii. 72
Fire, (Hell), ii. 24; n.102

whose fuel is men and stones, it. 24 ;
n. 103
Food, lawful and unlawful, ii, 168,

nn. 127-28; ii, 172, 173
Forgiveness, iL 263; ii, 109; n. 492;

iv. 48, 110, 116

by Believers, ii. 109; n, 492;

by God, see God
Friends, iii. 28; nn, 331-32

Gabriel, ii, 97 ff; also see Angels
Gambling, ii. 219; n. 439, 44J
Gentiles, iii, 75 ; nn, 563-64
Glad tidings to men, ii. 25
God:

Best Disposer of affairs, iii, 173; n.
369

Best of Planners, iii. 54; n. 467
Bestower of kingship, iii, 26; nn. 321-

22
Cherish er, i, 2 J also see Rahman and

Raklm
close to man, ii. 186; «. 231
commands not to be mocked at, ii,

231 ;h. 541
Creator of all, ii. 29; nn. I27-2&; ii.

117; m>. 527-31
creates not in vain; iii. 191 ; n. 441
Doer of all He intends, ii. 253; n. 12
everything from Him, iv. 78; nn,

305-6
Eternal, ii, 255; nn. 20-21
fails not the tryst, iii. 194; n. 449
fear of, ii, 189; n. 265
forgives sins, iii, 37, 135, 166; n, 186
Forgiving, ii, 37; n. 366; ii- 160; n.

104; ii. 172; nn. 151, 182; iii. 31;

iv. 3 7; n. 593; iv. 43, 48, n. 60, iv.

64, 310, 116; n. 508; v. 39
gave you life, ii. 28
gives life and death, iii. 156; n. 288
Guardian, Lord, ii. 21; nn. 88-89
guides whom He will; ii. 272; n. 129
Helper and Friend, iii. 150; n, 237;

iv. 45
His dominion, iii. 189
His Knowledge, iii, 5, 29; nn, 221,

338
His promise is true, iv. 122; nn. 527-

28
His Throne, ii. 255; n. 28
His Wrath, i, 7; n« 23
Listner to prayers, ii, 186; nn, 131-32
Living, the, ii. 255; nn. 20-21
Lord of Retribution, iii, 4; n. 220
Most Forbearing, ii. 235, 255 ; n, 493;

ii. 263; in. 155; v, 104
Most High, iv. 34
Most Kind, i. n, 8
nature of, ii, 255; iii. 2, 6, 18: nn, 208,

226-27
needs no intercession, B, 254-55; nn,

16, 24
never unjust, iv. 40, n. 1 11
no begotten son, ii. 116; n. 523, 525;

iv. 171; n, 105
not one of Trinity, iv. 171-72; n, 95,

102, 109; v, 72-73, nn, 526-30, 536-37
nothing wearies Him, ii, 255; n. 29
Omniscient, iii. 5; nn. 221-22

INDSX

Owner of mighty grace, iii, 174; n.

374
Patron, ii. 257; n. 40; iii. 150
Power of, ii, 224; iii, 29; n. 24
Praise and Glory to Him, i. I; nn.

10-11

present everywhere, ii. 115; nn, 516-

17, 519-20
purges sins, iii. 141, 154
puts terror, iii. 151; n. 238
recognises every good, iv, 147; nn,

650-51
santifles, iv, 48; n, 168
sees all, iii, 162

sends tranquility, iii. 154; nn. 263-64
Sovereign of the Day of Reckoning,

i. 3; nn. 16-17
Sovereign of the dominion, iii. 26;

nn. 321-22
Stem in chastising, ii. 211; n, 378
success from Him, iii. 126; n. 155
:*sufficieth, iii* 173
suffices as a Trustee, iv. 81; n, 325
tests, ii, 154, 166; n. 274; iii. 142; n.

204 l „,

to Htm all affairs are committed, ill.
. 109, 128; nn. 75, 163
to Him belong Heavens and Earth,

iii, ISO* n. 394
Unity, i, 4; nn. 19-20; ii. 1 33 ; n, 608;

ii. 163* nn. 107-8; ii, 255; n. 19;

iii. 18; n. 287,
will lighten difficulties, iv. 147; nn.

650-51

will separate evil from good, ill. 1/9

Wise, The, iv. 26

with Him is all reward, iv. 134, n.
581
Goliath, see Jalut
Good, rewarded double, iv. 40
Good and Evil^iv. 79; n. 311
Gospels, see Injil
Grape-vines, it. 266; n. 105 B
Guidance, Book of, ii, 2; n. 32

Hajj, h\ 196; n. 297

no lewdness or wickedness during, n.
197; nn. 322-23

object of, ii. 200 ; n. 335

trading during, ii, 198; n. 327
Harut & Marut; ii. 102
H*av*n(*U*j i "• 22 J n " 92 > "' 29; n '

129

Heaven & earth, created beings, iii.

190; n.434
Heaven :

companions pure and holy, cool

shades., iv. 57; n. 196
eternal home, iii. 15; n, 275: iii. 198
for righteous deeds; iv. 124;

Hell :

inmates of, ii, 35, ", 172; iii. 12; n.

256; iv, 95
men atd stones as fuels, ii. 24; nn.

102-103
skins roasted and renewed, iv, 56;
nn, 190-91
Holy Spirit, ii. 87; n. 375; ii- 253; n, 7
Hypocrites :

admonished, iv. 60-63

barter guidance for error, ii. 16;

n. 67"
deaf T dumb, and blind, it. 17-18
deceive themselves, ii, 9; nn. 51-52
disease in their hearts, ii. 10; nn.

53-56
do not believe in God and the Last
Day, ii. 8; n. 50
foots and mockers, ii. 13; n. 61; ii.

14; ii. 15; nn. 65-66
in lowest depth of Fire, iv. H5
in terror and darkness, ii. 19; n. 77;

it. 20
led by arrogance, ii. 204; 206jfi.358
make mischief, ii. Uj n, 59; ii. 12
refuse to fight, iii, 167-168
wait events, iv. 141-143
wish good fortune, iv. 70-73
to be seized and slain, iv. 88-89

IbHs,u\ 34; n. 151; iv. 76

ste also Satan
Ibrahim, see Abraham
Iddat, ii. 228; n. 504; ii. 231; nn. 539-41;

ii. 232; n. 545; ii. 234; nn. 570-71, ii.
235
Idolaters, ii. 105; ii, 135; iv, 48; n. 160;

iv. 116
Illiterate ( „f) meaning, iii, 20; n. 299;

' • iii, 75. a; 564

Immorality, iv. 15; nn. 575-76

punishment of, iv. 15; nn. 581-83;
iv. 16: nn.584, 586, 590

repentance for, iv. 17; n, 593
Imran, S, iii. n. 206; iii. 33; n, 356; iii.

INDEX

459

35; n, 361

Inheritance, ii. 180, 240; iv. 7; nn. 533-
35 ; iv, 8-9 ; iv. 1 1 J nn, 547-48 ; iv,
12; nn. 562, 566; iv. 19, 33 ; nn, 68-69,
71 ; iv. 176 (also m lie: quests)
Injll, iii. 3; n. 215; iii. 48; iii. 65

the people of, iii, 65ff; iii- 68ff; n. 528
Inter cession a ii. 48; n. 201; it. 123
Intoxicants, see Wine.
Isa fee Jesus

Islam, iii. 19; n. 291; iii. 85; n. 609; v. 3
enter into (Islam) wholly, ii. 208; nn.

361-64
is the true faith with Allah, iii. 19 ;

nn. 290-91; iii. 85; nn. 609-11
the prophet of, ii. 8?; tin, 372-75;

ii. 136; ii. 253; iv. 157; v. 171! ti. 95
Isaac ( Is J haq ), ii. 133 ; n. 607; ii. 136,

140; iv. 163
Isma'iJ, ii. 125 ; n. 570 ; ii. 127 ; n. 579;

ii. 128; nn. 584-86; iv. 133; iv. 163
Earael, Children of, ii. 40J n, 173
ask Tor a king, ii, 246; nn . 634-635
backsliders, ii. 83; n. 358; iii, 23;

n. 313
calf worship by, ii. 51 ; a, 217 ; ii. 92;

iv. 153
chastisement imposed upon; ii. 48,

n. 206-7
claiming that fire will not touch

them, iii. 24; nn, 315-16
confounding Truth with falsehood,

it. 42; n, 183
conspire with guilt and iniquity,

ii. 85; nn. 363-364
corrupters of divine text, ii. 211;

n. 376
deliverance of, it- 50; n. 212
denying truth out of envy, ii. 90;

nn. 391-92; ii. 91; nn. 395-96; iii.

19; n. 294
devourers of the forbidden, v. 42;

n.381
disbelieving the signs of Allah,

it. 61 j nn. 266-67
disobeying & transgressing, ii. 61;

nn, 271-72; v. 78; n. 553
drew wrath from Allah, ii. 61; n. 265
favours on, ii. 47; nn. 197-99; ii. 48-
holy land for them, v. 21; n. 291
manna & quails, ii, 57 ; nn. 232-33
rrfohotheism their original religion,

ft 132, 602

raised from amongst them 12 leaders,

v. 12; n. 224
refuse to fight, ii. 246; nn, 636-38
rejection of Truth for momentary

considerations, ii. 41; n, 181

53; ii. 60, 122; v. 20; nn, 285, 287.
slaying one another, ii. 54; n, 224
slaying the prophets,!!. 61; nn, 269-70;

ii. 91; n. 399
stuck upon them were abasement &.

poverty, ii. 61; nn. 260-62
their arrogance, ii. 80; n. 343; ii. 88;

nn, 381-82; v, 22; nn, 294-95
their covenants, ii, 83; n, 352; ii. 84;

n-361;ii. 93, 100
their love of this life, ii. 96; nn. 415-

17
their relations with Muslims, ii, 75-79;

n. 342
wanderings in the wild land, v. 26; n.

307

Jacob, ii. 132-133

Jalut, ii. 248; nn. 665-66

slain by Daud, iii. 251; n. 674

Jesus, ii. 87; n-372

adherents of, iii, 52; n, 458
apostle to Israel, iii. 49; nn, 433-34
a servant of Allah, iv. 172; nn. 109-

10
a word from Allah, iii- 39; n. 388
birth, iii. 45; n-416
birth foretold, iii. 42, 80, 125f; iv.

97, 166
conjecture about his death, iv, 157;

n> 45
disciples declare themselves Muslims,

iii. 52; n. 461
forms birds by Allah's leave, iii. 49;

nn. 437-39,
heals the blinds & the leper, ii. 49;

n, 441
his divinity refuted, iii. 59; n. 589-

90; iii. 61; n. 500
illustrious in this world, ii. 45; n. 419
like Adam, iii. 59; ; n. 489
limited mission, xiii. 38
not crucified, iii. 55; nn. 469-70; iv,

157; nn. 40-42
not more than an apostle, iv. 157; n.

39; iv. 1 71 ; nn. 93, 95: v. 75; n. 53S

37
one of the righteous, ii. 46; n. 425

460

INDEX

revives the dead, iii. 49; n. 442-43
son of Mar yam, »• 45; n* 418
spoke to mankind in the cradle,

ii. 46; n. 423
taken up, or lifted, iii. 55; nn. 469,

470; iv 157; n, 38; iv. 158; nn. 46-

47
tells secret affairs, iii. 49; n. 444
with a sign from God, iii. 49; nn.435,

436;
worshipper of one God, iii. 51;

nn. 433-34; v. 72; n, 526

jews :

accursed of Allah, ii. 159; n, 99
accusing Mary am of immorality, iv.

156; n.36
and Christians, declaring themselves

as God's loved ones, v, 18; n, 268-71
and Ghristans, friends to each other, ■

v. 51; n, 438
as distinct from 'Children of Israel,

ii. 62; n. 274
as magicians, ii. 102; n. 438
break covenant, ii. 27
, bull-cult of, ii. 51;nn. 217-19

creating doubt about Quran, iii, 73;

creating schism among the Muslims,

Hi. 99; n. 36
denying the Prophet after recognizing

him, ii. 146; n, 43
demanding miracles from the Prophet,

iiL 183; n, 404
favours of God on, ii, 40, 47
given a portion of the book, iv. 51,

n. 175
hastening towards sin and wickedness,

v. 62, nn. 482-83
no firm foundation of belief, ii. 113;

nn. 503-4
perverting the sacred texts, ii, 75;
. nn. 323-25; ii. 79; nn. 340-41; iv.

46; n. 143; v. 13; n. 233
proud of their ancestral merit, ii.

134; nn. 611-13
testifying to idols & devils, iv, 51;

n. 176
their attitudes to others, iii. 75; n. 563
the two chieftains, v. 12; n. 224
their conception of Gabriel & Michael,

ii, 97; n, 421
their conception of cloud, ii. 210;

k 369

were granted the house of Ibrahim,

iv. 54; n. 187
see also Israel, children of
Jihad, a duty, ii. 190; n. 267-69; i ; ,. 244
John (the baptist), see Yahya.
Jonah (or Jonas, or Yunus), iv. 163
Judgment :

no soul to be wronged, ii. 25
reckoning of everything, ii. 284; iii, 30
Judgment day ;

all deeds to presented , ii. 167; iii. 30,

161
day of reckoning, i. 3; n, 17
faces blackaned or whitened, iii,

106-7
full recompense, ii. 113, 212; iii. 185;

rw 414
Jews to believe in Jesus on, iv. 159
last day, ii. 62

no intercession, ii. 48; iv. 109; v. 36
no soul to hear another* guilt, ii. 48
return to God, ii. 26, 46
severe torment, ii. 85; n. 367; ii. 174;

iii. 11-12, 77, 180, 194
souls to be assembled, ii. 148; ii, 248;
iii. 9, 55; iv. 87
Justice, iv. 58

K'aba :

antiquity of, ii. 125, n, 563; ii. 127,

577, 578
asylum of security for men, ii. 125;

n. 566
built by Abrahim, ii. 125-127
Muslims turn their faces towards it,

ii, 144; n. 31
no killing of game, ii. 126; n, 573
also see Abraham, Sanctury, Qibla .
Kindred, rights of, ii. 83, 177; ii. 215;

n. 410; iv. 7-9, 36
Kinship, iv. 1, n. 485

Light, manifest, iv. 174; n. 115
Loan, to god, ii. 245; nn. 627-28

deals of, ii. 282
Lord of retribution, ii. 4; n. 220
Love of God, ii. 165; n, 116

Maida, S. v. p. 401

Man :

created from single pair, iv. 1; nn.

476, 477, 480
duty of, iv. 1; n. 475; iv. 36

JN&EX

fall of, ii, 35 IT

one community, ii, 213; n. 384-85
tested by Gad, li. 155; n, 75; iii, 186
things men covet, iii. 14
vicegerent on earth, ii. 30; nn. 133-34
Martina and quiis, ii. 57, nil, 232-33
Marriage :
tlower not to be taken back, 3 v. 20;

n. 616; also set * dower'.
if breach feared, iv. 35
if no means to wed free believing

women, iv, 25
if wife fears cruelty or desertion, iv, 128
in proper legal form, iv. 24; nn. 6-7}

v, 5; ii. 192
polygamy, Appendix, ii. p, 397
prohibited degrees, iv. 22; n. 624;

iv, 23; nn, 627-643; iv, 24; nn. 2-3
punishment for indecency, iv. 29; nn.

28-29
to how many, lawful, iv, 3; nn.

497-98
turn not away from a woman, iv.

129; nn, 562-64
with chaste ones among people of

the Book, v. 5, n. 191
with unbelievers, ii. 221; nn, 459-60,
66, 68
Martyrs :

not dead, Ii. 154; nn. 73-74; iii. 169
receive forgiveness and me rev, iii.
157, n. 291; iii. 158; n. 294; iii.
159; nn. 295-97^
rejoice in glory, iii. 170-71
Martyrdom, iii, 140; n. 200
Marut, ii. 102

Mary (mother of Jesus ), ii, 87; n. 373;
ii, 253; iii. 44; n. 411; iv. 156; n. 36;
v, 17; h, 265

annunciation of Jesus, iii, 42, nn.
404, 406 ; iii. 43 ; n. 407 also see
Jesus
a saintly woman, v, 75; n. 538
birth and upbringing, iii, 35; nn.
36-1-62; iii. 36, nn, 367-69; iii, 37;
nn. 374-75
Maryam, see Mary,
Mecca, iii, 96; see Bakka.
Men & women— their roles in life, iv.

32; n. 58
Messiah (the), iii, 45, n.'4I6; iv, 71 IT;

v. 17; v. 72. 75
Michael, ii. 98

Miracles, see signs of God,
Migration, iii, 100; n, 430
Mischief, a great sin, ii, 191; nn, 273-

74 ; ii. 205 ; n. 357
Months, fighting in sacred, ii. 217; n.

420, 428; v. 2 "
Moon, as a measure of time, ii, 189, n.

260
Moses, ii. 51; n. 215; ii, 136

asked to provide vegetable?, ii, 61; n.

256
denounces calf-worship, ii* 53; n. 217;

ii. 54; n. 224
exhorts Jews to enter the holy land,

v. 20fT
granted the Book, ii. 53; n, 222
harassed with frivolous questions, ii.

108
smites the rock, ii. 60; nn. 248-49
Mosques, ii, 1 14; n. 51 1
Mothers shall suckle their children, ii,

233; n. 553
Mubahila, iii. 61, nn. 499-50
Muhammad :

and the people of the Book. v. 15; v.

19; n. 278
anguish for disbelievers, iv. 42
as a Judge, iv. 59 j nn, 202-3; iv,

105; n, 457; v, 48
belief in him, iv, 1 70; nn. 86-87; iii.

31; n. 348-52; iv. 59
belief in him'is belief in God, v. 80 n.

315
favours of God on, ii. 144; iv. 113; v,

3; 67; n. 507
gentle, iii. 159; nn. 295-97
his memorable address at Arafat, v.

3; n. 166
his work, Hi, 164; n. 325
no more than an apostle, iii. 144; nn.

212-13
obedience to, iii. 31-32; n. 352
prophecy about, v. 14; n. 244
respect due to Apostle, ii, 104; nn.

466-67; iv. 46; n, 148
sent as a favour to believers, iii. 164;

nn. 319-20; iv. 170; nn. 86, 88
sent as a teacher, ii. 129; nn. 589-93;

ii. 151; nn. 63-64
the' Prophet, the iii, 144, n. 212
also see the Prophet
■ MunafiqTn, ii. 8ff ,50fT
Murder, ii. 178; nn. 178-80; v. '35; an.

INDEX

323, 326; see retaliation

Musa, see Moses. . __.

Muslims, chief characteristics, Hi, 102fT;
ii, '18; v, 55; n, 461

trial of, ii. 214; nn. 400-4-
MuttaqTyin (God- fearing) ii. 2; n. 33

Nasara (^U-i). »- 62; n. 275

denying the Prophet, v. 14; nm 244-45

Allah causes enmity & hatred among
them, v. 14; tin. 247-48

disbelievers j, asserting Masih as God,
v. 17; im. 260-61

straying from the right path, v. 77;
nn. 548-49

near to the believers: v. 82; n. 570

also see Christians *
Nazarenes see Nasara
New Moon, ii, 189; See moon.
News, to be tested, iv, 83
Nimrod, ii. 258; nn. 45-48; ii. 260; nn.

77-79
Noah, iii. 33; iv. 163

Oaths, ii. 224; n. 487; ii. 225; n. 490; ii.

226; nn. 494-96
Obligations io be fulfilted, v- I; n. 135
Obedience ;

to the Apostle, iv. 59; n, 203

to God r ii. 193; nn. 282-83; iv. 59; n.
202

to the men of authority, iv. 59; n.

204, 206
Ohud (Battle), iii, 121; nn. 133-34

archers disobeyed, iii. 152; n. 243
Orphans, ii. 220; n. 449; iv. 2; n. 488;
iv. 127; nn. 542, 545, 547
guardians of, iv. 6 ; b. 529; iv. 9 j

nn. 543-44; iv, 10
their substance, iv. 2 ; nn. 489-93 ;
iv. 5; n. 515

Parables :

deaf, dumb and blind, ii. 171

fertile garden, u, 265-66

frosty wind, iii. 117

grain of corn, it. 261

hamlet in ruins, ii. 259; n. 58

hard, barren rock, ii. 264; nn. 98-99

man who kindled a fire, ii. 17-18; see

fire,
rain-laden cloud, ii. 19; nn, 78-79
rope, iii. 103

Paradise, ii. 25, n. 107; ii. Ill
Path, Straight, i. 5 ; n, 21
Patience, seek help in, ii. 45, 153

Penalty for waging war against Allah,
v. 33 ; nn. 334-39
perse vera nee, iii. 186, 200

Pharaoh :

a disbeliever, iii. 1 1

cruelty of, ii. 49 ; n. 205

drowned, ii, 50; nn. 211-13
Pilgrimage, ii. 158, 196-203; see Hajj

incumbent on mankind, iii. 97; nn,
25-27
Polygamy, St* marriage
Polytheism, enormous sin, iv. 48; n.

160 ;iv. 116; n. 508
Prayers, ii. 238 ; nn. 604-5 ; ii. 239 ; n.

608

call for, v. 58 ; nn. 465, 467, 469

during travel, or in danger, iv. 101;
also see Qasr.

establish, ii, 110

prescribed to the believers at definite
times, iv. 143; n. 457

precautions in danger, iv. 71; n. 257

seek help in prayer, ii, 153; n. 71

the five canonical, ii, 42; n. 189
Prohibited Degrees in marriage, iv. 22-

24; see marriage.
Property, ii, 188; nn. 256-57; iv, 5, nn.

514-15: iv. 29; n, 45; also see orphans.
Prophet, the :

bondsman of God. ii. 23; n. 98

his mission, ii. 129; n. 593

never pleads for the deceiver, iv.
105; nn. 470-71

not to please Jews and Christians, ii.
120; n. 550

shall not be questioned about the
im mates of the Flame, ii, 119 ; ft,
544

also see Muhammad

Prophets, ii. 253

all to be believed in, iv, 150-52; iv,

151; n. 11
continuous line, iii. 33-34; iv, 163-65
covenant from, iii. 81
discrimination against none, ii, 285; n.

201; iti. 84; n, 607;
never false to their trusts, iii. 161; nn.

307-8
rejected, iii, 184
slain, iii. 183 J n.

moBx

,463'

Prophethood, Islamic conception of,

iii. 162; n. 312
Psalms of David, iv. 163

Qadir, meaning, ii. 20; n, 86

Qasr ( shortening the prayer } iv. 101;

nn. 439-40
Qjbta, ii. 142; nn, 4-5 ; ii. 143 ; nn. 18-
19, 21; ii- H4; nn. 26-27 ; ii. 145;

nn. 35-36
Qjir'an:
a guidance to mankind, ii. 185; iii.

4; iii. 138; v. 16
as guardian over other scriptures, v.

48; n. 414
a luminous Book, v. 15
brought by Gabriel, ii. 97; nn. 421,
426
cannot be produced by other than

divine p.gency, ii. 23; nn. 96-27 ;

ii. 24; n. 101 '
t confirming earlier scriptures, ii. 41;

ii. 22; n. 94; iii. 3; n. 214-15; v.

48; n, 414
for whole mankind, ii. 21; n. 87
how to be read and studied, ii. 12 1;

n. 551
inspired Message, ii. 2, 30-32 ; iv.

nn. 327-28
language and style, ii. 23; n. 99
revealed by God, iii. 7; v, 48
verses, fundamental and allegorical,

iii. 7; nn. 231-32
see also Book, Revelation.

Rabb, meaning, i. 1; n. 12-13
Rabbis, v. 44, 63
Rahlm, meaning, i. 2; nn. 14-15
Rahman, meaning, i. 2; nn. 8, 14-15
Ramadhan, ii, 1 85; n. 21 7 also see fasting

JWca/lvt, ii, 187; n. 247

Quran was sent down in, ii. 185; n.
"218
Relation of man and wife, ii. 187; nn.

235-36
Religion :

no compulsion in, ii. 256; n, 32

no excesses in, iv, 171;

of Islam, lit. 19-20; nn. 300-301; iii.
83; n. 602; see 'Islam* also.

perfected, v, 3; n. 170
Respite for Evil, iii. 178
Retaliation, ii. 178; nn. 177, 183,188; ii.

179; n. 192; ii. 190; n, 268
Revelation, light of:

abrogated or forgotten, ii. 106; see
Ayat,

doubts solved, ii. 23

guidance, iii. 73; n. 543

of Moses and Jesus, ii. 87; see Moses,
Jesus.

see also Book, Qur'an.
Reward, without measure, ii. 212; n.

383; ill, 27
Righteou^ I '^faStA meaning, iv. 69;

n.254
no difference between, mate or

female, iv. 124; n. 530
who pardon men, iii. 134; nn. 180-

who remember Allah, iii. 191; nn.

438-39
who repress anger, iii. 134; n. 179
Righteousness, ii. 177 ; n, 175, 207-8,
212; iii. 1647, 92, 133-35, 191-95; iv.
36, 125 ;
Rightly guided, ii. 5; n, 42

Sabians, ii. 62; n. 276; v. 69
Sacred month, ii. 194; nn. 286-87
Sacred Mosejue :

faces to be turned towards, ii. 150; n.

52
fighting in, ii. 191 ; n. 275
Sacred stones, L^J) v > 3; n. 163
Safa and Manva, ii. 158; nn. 85-86
Samuel, ii. 246; n. 633
Sanctity, state of, v. 1 ; n. 139
Sanctuary, ii. 1 14 ; n. 51 1 ; ii. 125 ; n.
563-65; ii. 144; ii. 149ff; ii. 191; ii. 196;
iii. 96; nn. 17-20; v. 2
Satan ( see also Iblis ), ii. 36; n. 156 ; ii,
168; iii. 36; n, 372
craft of, ever feeble, iv. 76 ; n. 280
evil spirit, rejected, accursed, iii.

36; n. 372
excites enmity and hatred, v. 94;
Saul, ii. 247 ff
Scriptures, people of the, ii. 62, set

Jews, Nasara and Sabians.
Seven, heavens, ii. 29; n, 129
-Ship, sailing of, as a Sign, ii. 164
Signs of God !

demanded by those without know-
ledge, ii. 1 IS : nn. 534-39
denial of, iii. 11

464

INDEX

in the creation of the heavens and
the earth, it. 164; n. 113; Hi. 190;
n. 436
made clear, that men may consi-
der, ii. 219
to the prophet Samuel, ii. 248 ;
set Ark
Sin, iv. 30-32, 36-39, 107-12, 116
Sinai (Mount), set Tut*
Solomon, see Sulaimam

Soul: ,

burden not greater than it can bear,
ii. 236; nn. 202-3

each shall find presented, in. 30
Springs (the twelve), ii. 60; nn. 249-

51
Spirit, the holy, God strengthened Jesus

with, i i. 87, 253; see holy spirit.
Straight path, i. 5

Sulaiman, ii, 102; nn, 441-43; iv. 163
Swine, flesh of, ii. 173; n. 145; v. 3; n.

155

Talut, ii. 247; nm 640-47; ii. 249
Taqwa, meaning, see MuttaqiyTn,
Tawrat, iii. 3; n. 214
Tawwab(^), ii. 222; nn. 477-78
Tayarmnum fo4$)j iv, *3> n, 129
Testing, by Gt!d, iii* 154
Theft, punishment, v. 38; niti 350-52
Throne vmcf iM ^]^J\), ». 255; n. 18

Torah, iii, 3, 48, 65, 93; v; 4311,66, 68,

110
Torment (u^i), meaning, ii, 7; n. 49
Traffic and "Trade, iv. 29; ti. 46
Trials, ii, 214; n. 400

their effect on belt vers, tit. 141; n,
202
Trinity, iv. 171; n. 102; v. 73; n, 528;

v. 82; n. 569
Trusts, iv. 58
Tur, the mount, ii. 63 ; n. 284 ; ii. 93 ;

iv, 154

Ummat, it. 143; nn. 13-14

Umra, ii, 196, n. 298; ii. 158; n. 89

Unity, of God, ii, 163; see God*

Unseen L^), ii, 3; n. 35

Usury, ii. '275; nn, 141-46 J ii. 276; n.

J53-A; ii. 278-79 ; nn. 160-61; ir\ 280;

iii. 130; nn. 169-70; Appendix I, p.

201

Vicegerent, God's, on earth, ii. 30; see

Adam, creation.
Virtues, see Righteousness, Believers.

Way, the, see path.

"We" and "Me" transition between
the first person pttiral and singular in
reference to Goch ii. 38; h. 169
Widows, ti. 234-35, 240; see Iddat,

Bequests.
Wine, ii. 219; n, 438, 441-42
Wisdom, (^.dfcO meaning, iii. 81; n,

591; if. 129; n. 592
Wise the f^fk,), meaning, ii. 32; n.|46
Witnesses, 'among men, ii. 143 ■

Women, S.iv; n. 474

as witnesses, ii. 282; nn. 176-78

heating of } iv. 34; n. 87

during the menstrual period, ii. 222;

nn. 470-73
have full dignity as human beings, ii.
228; nn. 513-14; iii. 195; nn, 452-
53; iv. 32; n. 64 •
over them men are overseers, iv. 34;

n. 73, 76; iL 228; n. 516
the* first, iv. 1; n. 4k9
to be treated honourably, iv. 19: n.

612
to be treated kfndlv, ii. 233; n. 561. 62;
ii. 237; n, 602
Worship, of female deities, iv. 117; n,

513
Writing, for contracts, ii. 282; n. 184

Yahya (John the Baptist),
' birth, iii. 39; n. 387
birth foretold, iii. 40-41; n, 399

Zakariya, iii. 37; n. 376; Iii. 38-41

Zakat (regular charuv), ii, 43; n.- 187;
ii. M0; n. 495; (i. 177; nn. 169, 172;
ii. 277; iv. 162; ",55

I*;*

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